The Hearts of Two
by HeartHunter
Summary: When fate has brought two different species together both races gradually develop in friendship and respect. But can two different species truly develop an understanding for one another?
1. Silver star clan ship & Planet Bolva

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predators**

******This story comprises of three parts.**

******Part 1: New Beginnings (Chapters 1 to 23)**

**Part 2: Bonds (Chapters 24 to 44)**

**Part 3: Bonds That Are Tested By Fire **

**Part 1: New beginnings**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Onboard the Silver Star Clan's Ship

The large training ship carried two elders, an honored warrior, two healers (both of whom were blooded), five other blooded, and at least forty young bloods. This ship was primarily used for the training of the young bloods. However, smaller training ships that carried between five to twelve young bloods and ships with blooded warriors would occasionally dock to join in some larger hunts. Very occasionally honoured warriors, the elite hunters in the yautja race, who usually preferred to hunt solo would also dock. When elite hunters docked it was either to join in group hunts before continuing to hunt solo or when considering to train young bloods.

In preparation of the upcoming hunt, the crawler on board the ship started to load with _kainde amedha_ eggs. Twenty five eggs in all were scanned and loaded into the crawler. This particular hunt was meant for the young bloods to use close range weapons to tackle and gain greater experience in fighting the hard meat.

Elder K'rve and elder Kal'fa were brothers and had long been in command of the Silver Star Clan. K'rve, the older of two, was the leader of the clan. He and Kal'fa were both just and good leaders resulting in many great warriors living and surviving through the centuries.

Kal'fa was to lead this hunt and would choose three blooded and nine young bloods along for the hunt. The honoured warrior, Sorus would also be joining them in this hunt. Sorus was a great warrior who won many battles. One of the reasons he had climbed in rank so quickly after being blooded was due to the fact that he was very open minded.

Most yautja viewed themselves as superior beings and seldom gave credit to their prey. Sorus had respected K'rve and Kal'fa's teachings while training as a young blood and always kept in mind to respect all prey he fought. In respecting the prey, he would never underestimate their intelligence or skill no matter their species or physical strength.

Kal'fa sent the crawler to be scanned a second time to ensure none of the eggs had a Queen _kainde amendha. _This was not to be a Queen hunt seeing that most of the young bloods would experience fighting the hard meat at close range with only wrist blades, spears, and throwing knives. Only the blooded would be allowed the shoulder guns. Kal'fa and Sorus would not be using long range weaponry either but would instead select between a sword (long blade) and spear.

The young bloods were sent to the _kehrite _to train with K'rve while Kal'fa arranged for the eggs to be sent to the planet. From the training session K'rve would select the nine young bloods who would go on the hunt. While the young bloods were still being selected in the training area, the scanner had finished scanning all the eggs a second time and was sent off to a nearby tropical planet. The hunt would begin in just over a day.

In the _kehrite _after three hours of training, K'rve selected the young bloods to go on the hunt. The nine stood before K'rve while the rest gathered behind the chosen nine. Sorus and the five blooded hunters were also present standing at the back of the room. K'rve faced the yautja. "The nine of you have fought well and have proven yourselves worthy to be selected for the hunt. The hunt will begin shortly. Go collect your _awu'asa_ and assemble at the main docks. The rest of you will rest now and return after the midday meal to train" The young bloods bowed then turned and began moving out.

Looking at the back of the room K'rve then turned to the blooded hunters and Sorus. "D'fal, Ge'tur, T'sde, three of you will both go on this hunt." The three hunters bowed then left to get their _awu'asa. _He then nodded to the two remaining Blooded. " You will stay here and train the other young bloods with me. Go and rest now." K'rve signaled Sorus to follow as he turned to walk out the training room.

Walking out in silence, Sorus turned to K'rve. "Elder was there something you wanted to talk to me about before the hunt?" Glancing over at Sorus, he nodded once. "Sorus, I have already informed Kal'fa that the presence of oomans has been deteched on this tropical planet. I understand that you are thinking about giving up hunting alone and are considering the training of young bloods. However, can I request of you to observe the oomans during this hunt instead of joining the group hunt? If you agree I will arrange for you to join in the upcoming group hunts after this one." At this Sorus nodded. He respected elder K'rve's decision and understood that the elder would have his reasons for this request.

This unusual request however raised his curiosity. "Elder, there have been hunts over the years with oomans being present. Why are you cautious of their presence now?" K'rve stopped walking and turned to Sorus. "I have heard from the last hunt on this planet three years ago that some of our blooded hunters dropped fourteen _kainde amendha _eggs there. Oomans were also present there at that time. Twelve of the_kainde amendha _were killed but two were never found. They looked for three days but were unable to locate them. The oomans were expanding their facility and were exploring the area close to the ship forcing the search to be abandoned."

He waited a moment for Sorus to take in the information before continuing. "At that time the oomans only had one facility but our recent scans have shown two facilities have been built. The more recent one is partially underground. Kal'fa's hunt will be near the facility partially hidden and will explore the area after the hunt. I would like you to explore the original facility. Though the original facility is larger I am confident that you will be able to sense any threats, ooman or _kainde amendha _should it be present."

Considering what the elder just informed him, he cocked his head to one side as he addressed K'rve. "Why do you not entrust this mission to the other blooded hunters?" K'rve looked at him and smiled slightly. "Though Kal'fa and I, as well as a few of the Blooded are able to understand and speak some of their language, I have heard that over the years you have hunted oomans and learnt much of their language. Being able to understand their language better you will be able to tell more quickly if the oomans have anything to do with the disappearance of the two _kainde amendha._"

Sorus nodded in understanding as they resumed their walk toward the central control room. "Sorus, you were one of the best students I have trained and are now an elite warrior. I look forward to your return from this hunt. In the time you spend in the coming hunts I hope you will choose to teach the young ones. Now go prepare for the hunt." Sorus bowed then quickly walked off to prepare.

* * *

The tropical planet Bolva

Even from a distance it was obvious that the planet Bolva was a tropical paradise. Much of the planet was covered in a lush green. This planet was only found by humans just over five years ago and was a relatively new settlement. Generally planets that had settlements were primarily used for gaining the resources found there and sending it to the resource depleted Earth. In a few cases however, planets were turned into holiday resorts. This usually meant that people more well off in society could spend their money and time enjoying nature in peace and quiet away from all of life's worries. On the other hand it could also be a place used as a stress reliever through hunting the local wildlife on the planet.

Bolva was one such planet that was supposedly used as a holiday resort. In spite of the advertisements indicating that it would be the ideal place for both the enjoyment of the quiet in the wilderness as well as hunts that one could enjoy, it was far from being one of the top holiday destinations. The primary reason for that was the lack of protection of the guests while they were out venturing in the wild and unexplored areas of the planet.

Ethan Cardarin was the owner of Bolva. His wealth had been passed down from family. Though he enjoyed the life of living in luxury, he was more interested in going down in history as someone who had contributed something of great significance to human society. He saw an open opportunity at this soon after he had established the main facility, which was also now known as the holiday resort on Bolva.

Workers had witness from a far the landing of a yautja crawler three years ago. Based on the rumours he heard and few facts known, this species was well known for hunting xenomorphs, humans as well as other challenging species. Acting quickly, he had his workers explore the area the crawler landed and had brought back two of the xenomorphs through unexpected means. Of the many employees he sent, two were impregnated by the face huggers. The capture of the eggs was abandoned and the two impregnated workers were quickly brought back to the main facility.

Immediately after the incident he worked on building a hidden facility not too far from the main holiday complex so he could travel to and fro to oversee operations. He hoped to study and possibly learn to gain control of the xenomorphs. He felt that his purpose for gaining control over the creatures was pure. He wanted humans to be the dominant species in the galaxy and for all other known and unknown species to be ruled by humans. Being able to control the xenomorphs would accomplish this purpose. The xenos would be used to annihilate other species he viewed as a potential threat to the human race.

He was delighted to learn that one of the xenomorphs was a queen. It was known that other humans through the ages who tried but failed to control the xenomorphs. Over the ages people had come to know of this species and knew that they were dangerous in their numbers. This had led to the failure of greedy scientists that had many xenomorphs grown to study their behaviour and the functions of the hive. Ethan would not let the information from their studies go to waste nor repeat their mistakes. He made sure to always have only three drones at any one time.

In the two years that he held the queen xeno captive, he would be rid of the drones every few weeks and birth new ones. However, he had stopped this after the birth of each new praetorian. Now he had the queen, two praetorians and a drone. Being cautious of the whole situation he had to destroy the eggs on a daily basis and only kept five eggs at any one time. Despite being keen on reaching his objective, he would not risk an army of xenos rising and sacrifice the lives of his men and guests should the xenos get loose.

To keep a low profile he masked the study of the xenos using a holiday resort as the public face of Bolva. In order to minimise the number of people on Bolva he had added a warning in the ad that guests who chose to explore and wander in the wilderness would so do at their own risk and that he would offer no protection. In reducing suspicion from the general public, he had also set a relatively high price for the trip but made clear in the advertisement of Bolva that guests were provided luxurious quarters where the holiday accommodation and hospitality services were top class.


	2. Beginning of life & Curious findings

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens and predators **

**CHAPTER 2**

Beginning of Life

Shortly after the yautja crawler had landed it deposited the _kainde amedha_ eggs on the tropical planet. Sensing life around, the hard meat eggs opened one by one and the facehuggers promptly made their way out to fulfill their purpose.

A herd of herbivors that had the size and a similar shape to that of a wild boar with what appeared to be scales on it back for protection served as hosts for most of the facehuggers. The remaining three facehuggers found their hosts in the form of the local carnivors.

These resembled the large predatory cats on Earth and looked like a cross between a cheeta and lepoard. It had non retractable claws and from simple observation one could tell these were predators of stealth and agility. The mother and her two young were tracking the herbivors when they were attacked and impregnated by a species more deadly and agile than themselves.

Having fulfilled their purpose, after some time the facehuggers dropped dead to the ground one by one. It would not be long now before the young were born.

Curious Findings

Venturing in the wild with the lack of protection would normally scream danger to most people. Despite the risks that were present, Andree and Cora were both keen on exploring the wilderness on Bolva by themselves. Though the holiday resort on Bolva was never full due to the cost, they booked for the trip over six months ago. They were both taking a two month break from work and looked forward to a little adventure and excitement on Bolva.

Having arrived two days ago, they had enough of exploring the large and exotically beautiful facility and decided to start exploring the wild on the third day. While having dinner last night, Andree and Cora were approached by a few wealthy gentleman who were fellow guests offering to accompany them on their exploration. Though each had said that he came with the notion of protecting them while on their expedition both females knew that was not the only reason. After declining all the offers, most of which were directed to Andree, both went to bed early to get an early start to the day.

Andree and Cora had been friends for many years. Both were room mates during their study and had maintained close contact after graduating. They were now in their early twenties and though they had very different characters and personalities, they shared a common love for adventure.

While studying Andree had also taken on various martial art activities in school. She had trained since she was young and was keen on improving herself in skill, both physically and mentally. She was an extrovert in school and even now in her work life. Andree was very outspoken when faced with challenge. She kept a large circle of friends and was very outgoing.

Cora on the other hand presented as the quiet type who preferred to be observant in the backgound as opposed to Andree. She had started studying occupational therapy but later switched to zoology. Cora preferred solitude most of the time but enjoyed the time spent with close friends, Andree above all. In her free time she took pleasure in observing animals in the large parks nearby her home as well as in the wildlife reserve where she worked, and occasionally assisted at animal shelters.

Both relished the time spent together and had planned to take six to eight weeks off once every year to go on little adventures. Though they both kept fit in body and mind through regular exrecise and meditation while at work, adventures like these were highly beneficial in keeping the stress levels down. Bolva would make the third planet they visited together in exploration of the wilderness. Andree had taken several lessons in hunting and the using of various weaponary before they had gone on their first trip. Both had different objectives in the adventures they shared. Andree was interested in hunting various animals on their trips whereas Cora was content with observing all the different species they came across.

After trekking a good four hours they both decided to take a breather. All the animals they had come across so far had been fairly small. Most appeared to be herbivors and the largest of them was about the size of a large dog.

"It's suprising that almost after half a day we haven't come across any sort of predator yet." Andree turned around to face Cora who was silently staring up at the sky. "Well, I'm sure this planet has predators, it'll just be a matter of time before we see them." Then smiling slightly Cora added, "I'll be happy to observe any species this planet has so long as its not those xenos we occasionally read and hear about in the news." Then looking up at the sky again she spotted a shimmering object in the distance. Andree seeing that her friend was staring intently at something in the distance turned in the direction and looked.

Thinking that she must be hallucinating, Andree rubbed her eyes a little. "Either I must be really tired or I'm seeing things...". Cora observing in a moment of silence before answering her friend, "Andree, look at the vegetation beneath the object." Cora pointed at the trees and vegetation that were now moving in a peculiar way below the shimmering object. They could not identify the object but it was no doubt a ship of some kind. They turned to look at each other then almost said at the same time in excitement, "Let's take a closer look."


	3. Onboard the small yautja ship

**CHAPTER 3**

Onboard the small yautja hunting ship

Soon after all fourteen yautja assembled at the main docks, they boarded a smaller hunting ship and headed their way to the tropical planet. Amongst the young bloods was Kv'jol, he was one of Kal'fa's youngest sons and had joined to train under his father onboard the Silver Star Clan ship soon after he was made a young blood.

Kal'fa himself had moved up to elder soon after his son had come onboard to train. The elder was pleased that Kv'jol had proven himself and was able to join him in gaining experience in this hunt. Though pups did not always train under their sire, it was always a pleasure to train one's offspring to greatness.

The small hunting ship could comfortably accommodate all the yautja onboard. It had three private quarters where the higher ranking hunters slept, a smaller version of the pit where the lower ranked young bloods slept, a cooking/eating area and training area. Being higher in rank, Kal'fa and Sorus naturally had the privilege to private quarters. However as there were three blooded, D'fal, the more experienced and honored of the three had the remaining room.

The arrangement did not matter though as this particular trip was meant to last for a about a week before they returned to the main training ship. The hunt was expected to be over in the first two days of their arrival. The rest of the time would be spent on exploring the small hidden facility.

Kal'fa was glad to know that Sorus had agreed to explore the larger ooman facility. Though he wanted the young bloods to experience observing oomans he did not think it wise to start with the larger facility. No doubt security would be tighter and there would be a greater risk of the inexperienced young hunters being spotted. Besides, the smaller facility would be ample in giving the young ones experience in learning about ooman behaviour.

He had intended for two blooded hunters to explore the smaller facility at close range while he taught the young bloods to observe from a distance. This exploration would of course take place after all the hard meat were exterminated. The blooded hunters were to find clues on the previous hunt of the missing _kainde amedha_. However, he doubted that there would be anything left to find after such a long time.

In the initial hours after boarding, the young bloods sparred to get the excitement out of their blood before eating and resting. At least one of the blooded was always present at the control room at any one time. On this hunt T'sde would remain onboard while the rest went on the hunt. The hunters were now well rested and prepared for the hunt. D'fal and Ge'tur as well as the young bloods had assembled in the main hall close to to the entrance of the ship when the ship started its descend.

Kal'fa and Sorus were in the control room scanning the surrounding area of the landing site as well as locating the ooman facilities and hard meat they sent down. Surpirisingly, they found that all the hard meat were no where near the area they hatched. The scans instead indicated that they were close to the smaller ooman facility.

Both experienced hunters knew that it was not a good sign for the hard meat and oomans to be at such a close range. "Elder Kal'fa, I will quickly make my way down to the large ooman facility on landing. If I do not find any useful information I will make my way to the hunting ground. I find this behaviour of the _kainde amedha_ odd and am not comfortable with them being so close to the oomans."

Cocking his head slightly in thought, Kal'fa nodded in agreement. "With the _kainde amedha _being so close to the oomans we may have to face a greater challenge if we end up fighting both. The healers are not with us and the medical supply may not be sufficient if too many hunters get injured." Kal'fa then added, "Go swiftly. We have to assume the worst and your assistance will mean the survival of more young bloods should we need to fight the oomans as well."

Before leaving Kal'fa then turned to T'sde, "I will send you a signal to join the hunt if we face the challenge of both speicies. Ensure that you secure the ship and are equipped with a shoulder gun." T'sde nodded in acknowledgement before Kal'fa and Sorus turned to join the others in the assembly area.

On arriving at the assembly area, they could hear the excited clicking and growling as well as smell the thick musk of aggression and excitement. Kal'fa quickly debriefed them on the situation and asked all to activate their camouflage when they were close to the ooman facility. " The _kainde amedha _are the targets of our hunt. We do not know if the oomans pose a threat and will not hunt them unless I signal otherwise. Is that clear?" All the young bloods as well as D'fal and Ge'tur rapped their chests and growled their acknowledgement at the order.

The elder then signalled a young blood to lower the ramp. Kal'fa walked outside followed closely by Sorus and the eleven that were to follow him. Once outside Sorus began making his way to the large ooman facility while the group of yautja head in the other direction.


	4. Release & Evacuation

**CHAPTER 4**

Release

A few hours after the hosts were impreganated, animal screams and ear-splitting shrieks could be heard causing all the local wildlife in the area to flee. This was replaced by an unnatural silence before the first of the new borns made a silent screech.

Soon after their birth, the xenomorphs showed a sudden spur in their growth. Each could sense the others around and more importantly, they could sense a queen nearby. The new borns were surprised to learn that they shared the same mother with this queen. Not being able to sense their own mother, they would serve this queen. She was not far from where they currently were.

They could sense that she was trapped and through the telepathic link they sent their reassurance of her freedom that was soon to come. Each gradually shredded their skins and grew in both size and strength while making their way through the jungle. Most of them had completely reached their adult size by the time they arrived at a clearing with humans patrolling around a building. The queen was now very close. The presence of three others in the facility was also now more prominent.

Their release would not be delayed any longer. The three drones who were birth from the predators stealthily made their way across the clearing and up the five storey building after one of the patrolling humans had passed. They quickly made their way down the ventilation shafts at the top of the building. Relying on the telepathic link to guide them through all the twists and turns, the three drones exited the large ventilation shaft that had led to the underground generators.

Even with the queen's restlessness, she sent a warning through to all the drones on the outside to halt their attack for the moment. The queen would not give the humans the opportunity in delaying her release through an attack on the outside. No, she would be released first before ordering the attack. She signalled for the drones that had infiltrated the building to release her.

Without hesitation, the three drones quickly made their way through the empty corridors and up another ventilation shaft. Before the third drone disappeared into the shaft, a human in a white coat turned into the corridor and spotted it. The third drone quickly dropped back down and chased the human, killing it quickly with a stab of its tail. However, the prey's screams had already alerted others nearby.

All three drones quickly made it through the shafts and dropped down into the large chamber where the queen was held down by chains. Each drone crawled onto a limb with one on her back and started to claw madly at the chains. To hasten the breaking of the chains the drones wounded parts of their torso. They hissed in pain as their blood dripped down. Though the wounds were small and the blood released was little it was enough to weaken the chains significantly.

The queen struggled violently and on breaking the chains, she shrieked aloud at her freedom and forcefully ripped herself from her eggsack. There would be nothing to stop her vengence against those who held her captive. She would leave none alive.

Evacuation

With the one of the scientists being killed, all personnel were alerted to evacuate when the alarm was set off. Ethan, after holding the queen xeno captive had informed all employees that should an emergency occur and the xenos got loose, all personnel would be ordered to leave the facility. He had already prepared the site knowing there was a possibility for this from the experience of other researchers.

The entire facility underground would be locked down leaving the xenos trapped. In such a situation he had hoped to save the lives of those above the research area and evacuate them before setting off the self-destruct.

Ethan always planned ahead. Having a backup plan, he anticipated that in the likelihood of an incident, the eggs which were stored in a secured area above ground would be transported to his secondary research facility on another world.

In the building upstairs, Audrey the head scientist quickly made contact with Ethan who was presently in the 'holiday' site. "Ethan, the alarms went off and it appears that the queen and several other xenomorphs that are not from here are on the loose." Ethan frowned. This was something he had not anticipated. "Audrey, follow the procedure and leave with the eggs to the secondary facility, I will meet you there. Alert all personnel that they have fifteen minutes to evacuate the facility and head off the planet. As it is not directly above the lab, the self-destruct will completely destroy the lab below but leave the building above intact. This should give others more time to escape."

Audrey felt honored to work for Ethan. Though he was keen on his research, he was not cruel and would not sacrifice those who had a chance to be saved. However, she could not help but wonder why he would only destroy the lab below and risk some xeno getting loose. Why now destroy the whole facility altogether?

"Sir, why would you risk xenos surviving by leaving this building intact?" Ethan looked hard at her. "Audrey, I plan to return with armed troops to take care of the remaining xeno. I need the research information in the facility that I have not yet sent to the secondary site. Now leave quickly." With this he broke the connection.

Since the alarm had sounded off, Audrey had already prepared the eggs to be transported. She quickly left the room and ran to the small docking area that had five ships present. The docks were close to the security post and was always well secured to help filter the comings and goings of employees. This was to ensure no information would leave the site if employees wanted to take a break and go off planet.

On reaching the ground floor, she suddenly heard the cries and screams of people outside the facility followed closely by gunfire. Audrey quickly made her way to the back of the facility and out to the ships. On stepping outside she was met by two of Ethan's security personnel who quickly hustled her along.

They had been waiting to escort her to the secondary facility. One guard grabbed her arm and started to move forward quickly. "Run! These attacks aren't from the xenos that we acquired. They're coming from the jungle." Again she heard gunfire, this time it was closer and to her left. The gunfire was heard alongside with the roaring of what seemed to be a creature or creatures. She took a quick look to her left but could not deter where the roar had originated. All she could see was more drones making their way over the fence and toward the facility.

She and the two guards continued running. As soon as they hit the ramp all three ran up. Audrey stole a quick glance back just as one of the guards climbed up to close the ramp. She had noticed that gunfire had ceased soon after they got to the ship but could hear the sounds of growling and hissing. On looking out before the ramp closed she was shocked to see a few shimmering creatures closeby attacking the xenos with appeared to be spears and other hand held weapons.

The starting up of the engines could now be felt vibrating through the ship. Few but distant screams outside could still be heard. This was soon drowned out as the small craft lifted off toward space. Audrey now slowly made her way to the guards who were in the control room, she let herself relax awhile and slumped back in one of the chairs sighing with relieve.

Now all she had to worry about was setting up the eggs and preparing the hosts in the new facility. She hoped there would be a queen in one of the eggs stored securely in the acid proof containers in the cargo area.


	5. Approaching the hidden lab

**CHAPTER 5**

Approaching the Hidden Lab

The smaller ooman facility was not far from the ship. Nearing the ooman building, a loud monotonous beeping sound could be heard when the facility came into view. Kal'fa found that it resembled the structures found in the concrete jungle (city) on the backwater planet. What disturbed him however was the back end of the facility. From experience when hunting oomans he recognised it as an armed ooman base.

Looking down, he saw hard meat drones making their way over the high fence that surrounded the facility. Though the drones were coming from the jungle on the same side they were on, they were entering at the other end of the facility close to the ooman space crafts.

Kal'fa quickly led the hunters forward toward the fenced area closest to them. He cloaked ad signalled the others to follow as they closed in and exited the jungle. Panicked screams could now be heard and he saw armed oomans rush toward the docking end of the facility on the other end of the building firing wildly at the hard meat while trying to escape to the ships.

"Kill all the _kainde amendha_. Only kill the armed oomans if they are a threat to you." Kal'fa cursed silently as he tore through the fence with his wrist blades. The young bloods had mostly experienced hunting the hard meat using long range weaponry. In the group, besides himself, the two blooded and perhaps two young ones , the rest had not experienced close range combat with the hard meat_._

As the group of hunters closed in on the drones attacking the oomans, the hard meat suddenly turned their attack on them. The hunters took on the hard meat that rushed forward charging at full speed. Two young hunters were knocked off their feet when one drone rammed into one while another pounced on the other hunter.

Human gunfire that was aimed at the drones pierced not only the drones but the young hunters as well. Both hunters lost their camouflage as the wrist computer sparked on one and acid fell on the other hunter that was pounced on. Though howling in pain both hunters were soon on their feet and resumed their attack on the drones who were now badly injured.

Four drones made short work of the remaining humans that were scattered about while the rest continued their attack on the hunters. Kal'fa and the young hunters quickly moved forward pushing the attack closer toward the docking area at the back of the ooman structure. The two blooded changed their positions to the back of the group, leaving the young bloods to gain the necessary experience.

The number of hard meat drones were down to about a third, mainly due to the armed oomans injuring and killing a few drones before their arrival. This would certainly make it an easy hunt especially now that they did not have to worry about armed oomans anymore. These drones would however put up a challenge as their exoskeleton appeared to be tougher than normal. A challenge as such was always seen as a welcome to the hunters.

Now inside the docking area the young hunters were closing in on the remaining three drones that were spaced about twenty feet apart when a loud warning sounded – _'Warning, please evacuate vicinity. You have one minute to reach safe distance.' _

Though Kal'fa was not able to understand all of the message he got the gist of it. "Finish them off and run! An ooman bomb is going to go off." He barked at the blooded hunters. Two young hunters paired to attack one drone while the blooded finished off the other two. One of the young hunters was slashed across the chest while the other dodged and struck back using brute force to land a killing blow to severe the head. Swiftly swooping up his trophy, he quickly ran with the group.

With the explosion, the ground of the docking bay shook like a violent earthquake before collapsing and sinking deep into the ground. With part of the docking bay collaspsing, one of the three remaining ships dived down into the deepening hole and slammed with great force into small loaders and power generators at the side of the dock causing a chain reaction of explosions above ground as well. The force of the secondary explosion in the dock knocked a few young bloods and a blooded hunter off their feet before they safely made it out of the area.

After a long moment, the buring furnace from the secondary explosion began to slowly subside. Looking around, Kal'fa made a quick head count of all the yautja after clearing the docking area. Ge'tur had been forcefully thrown into the wall of the building. The elder could see from his posture and the way he stood up that he had broken at least two ribs. Two of the four young hunters that were thrown off their feet got up immediately with little signs of injury. However, two were lying unconscious and were carried to the far end of the building where they had entered to be tended to.

One of the young hunters who lay unconscious had acid burns from the attack earlier while the other only had some minor cuts. The hunter with the acid burns was laid slightly on his uninjured side so his wounds could be attended to. The injuried were not as bad as he thought, at least there was no loss of life in the hunt. These were the last thoughts he had before a loud but familiar screech was heard coming from the reckage behind them. All the yautja turned to the direction of sound.

_A Queen! This explained why the hard meat attacked the ooman facility!_ Kal'fa immediately barked orders to the hunters. "D'fal, Ge'tur take care of any drones present before assulting the queen. The rest of you will space out and surround her." Then he turned to Kv'jol, "I want you to stay here and attend to the two unconscious. Defend them from any attacking_ kainde amendha_." Kv'jol made a low clicking growl indicating that he was not happy with this arrangement but acknowledged the order.

The elder started to lead the hunters toward the reckage when the queen, a warrior hard meat and four drones that looked different from the previous ones emerged from the docking bay at the other end of the building. He rushed forward to meet the _kainde amendha _wanting to put some distance between the fight and the unconscious hunters.

The outcome of this hunt was now unclear. A queen was not an easy challenge and none of the young had fought one like her before. This mattered not, they would fight her and win or die a glorious death in the attempt to take her out.


	6. Exploring the resort

**CHAPTER 6**

Exploring the Holiday Resort

Immediately after parting from the group Sorus quickly made it through the thick foliage. He had used the trees so as to observe more from higher ground and avoid unnecessary conflict with oomans as well as local wildlife. He relished the thought of a challenging hunt though.

From years of solitary hunting he had refined his skills to the extend that he now considered few prey to be a real challenge. This was one of the reasons he considered training the young hunters. Sorus promptly put these thoughts aside. He would have time to think about this after the hunt. For now he had to focus on his mission.

As he came closer to the ooman facility he activated his camouflage. He was a little surprise to hear a strange beeping sound coming from the site. Curious, he swiftly moved through the few trees close to the outskirts before going down to the ground level. With all natural vegetation cleared on the outskirts of the facility he would have to approach with caution. Moving closer to the site he found that foreign bushes, various plants and small trees had been planted around the perimeter.

Observing from a distance, he noticed the oomans from all around the structure rushing in a manner of urgency. He knew he had not been spotted and the urgency these oomans showed would no doubt be due to this loud beeping sound going off. Deciding to investigate this from higher ground, he silently made his way to the corner of the building and started to climb up the wall. With the wall made of soft ooman materials, he used his claws to dig into the wall as well as utilised the thick pipe attached to it for additional support.

While climbing up, he observed an ooman barking out orders at other armed oomans before hurrying up the stairs to another level. Sorus quickly made his way toward that direction and jumped down to the now empty corridor. This was obviously an area of higher operations since other unarmed oomans were not present.

He did not have to run long before he caught up with the high ranking armed ooman. Watching from a distance he followed the ooman through a large room. He stopped a short distance away as the ooman entered another room within. Seeing that this smaller room had glass walls he decided to make observations from outside the room.

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The head of security after hearing the alarms go off ordered all the security personnel to evacuate all the guests and informed them that they had thirty minutes to evacuate. This was to follow the emergency protocol. On reaching the upper deck he ordered the four security personnel on the level to ready the ship for departure before hurrying to Ethan's office. He had no clue yet as to why Ethan set off the evacuation alarm but he wasn't about to question him. He was here to carry out his duties and would stick to doing that.

On entering Ethan's office he could tell the man looked worried. "John, I just got word that the xenos were set loose. Someone had planted several xenos nearby and they attacked the facility." Ethan sighed sitting back in the chair slightly, " Thirty minutes should give security ample time to get the confused guests off this planet. We should get going too... I just got off talking to Audrey and have initiated the self-destruct in the lab to fifteen mintues."

"Ethan, we should move now, I have already ordered for the ship to prepare for departure." Standing slowly from the chair Ethan clenched his fists in a rare show of anger. "Whoever set those xenos loose on the lab are going to pay dearly."

Then walking around the table and toward the door he added lightly, "We will return here after I have settled things down at the secondary site. I will not let information from the past two years go to waste. Once we gain full control of the xenomorphs it will be entertaining to see how they fair against those creatures who hunt them for sport."

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Even with his level of understanding of the ooman language he was not able to comprehend all of the conversation but understood most of it. His anger flared at the information. This _p__yode amedha_was trying to control the _kainde amendha_ and wage them against the yautja for entertainment!

His deactivated his camouflage as they came out of the room. Roaring his challenge, he charged at them. Sorus clenched his fist tightly and lunged at the armed ooman first, knocking him aside before grabbing the ooman named Ethan by the neck and lifted him off the ground. Bringing him down closer to his mask he spoke threateningly, "Turn off self-destruct...". Ethan's face turned from utter shock and surprise to an evil grin when he heard this. Sorus tightened his grip, choking the now dangling ooman.

Ethan managed to laugh slightly, "You creatures made me sacrifice all the research information and lives of people in that site... I hope your friends all suffer and burn in hell...". At this Sorus ejected his wrist blades and stabbed Ethan in the chest before releasing him.

The armed ooman fired at him while backing away toward the exit. Sorus quickly jumped aside to avoid the gunfire while extending his spear and threw it full force at the man. The force of the throw pinned the man against the wall he was backing toward.

He walked back to his first kill and ripped the spine and head off before putting it into his net. Walking back to his spear, he pulled it out of the ooman and wall. As he attached the shortened spear on his back armor a loud voice came blaring out of a small box attached to the dead armed ooman's waist.

Though this ooman had put up a fight he did not deem him to be a worthy challenge. Cloaking, he took out a small container with blue liquid and poured it on the body. He turned as the body dissolved, as much as he wanted to skin it he doubt time would allow it. Quickly running out the room and climbing up the wall in the main corridor, he raced toward the other ooman site.


	7. Not going to be an easy battle

**CHAPTER 7**

Not going to be an easy battle

The queen was only able to smash through two of the holding pens to free one praetorian and drone. Her other praetorian had been killed in the explosion. She seethe in anger at her loss as well as from her injuries. The blast had burnt her right side badly and had buried her along with the five others.

Soon after the detonation and aftershock a second blast from somewhere above could be felt as more rubble buried the five below. The feeling of being trapped again infuriated the queen and despite the burn on her right she began to tear her way out. A moment later she freed herself and the others.

Crawling out of the undergound prison that held her for two years she screeched at finally being released. She could sense that the ones around her were all that were left. On stepping out further she could sense the now growing presence of creatures moving quickly toward them with the intention to kill.

Along with her past suffering, the feeling of undergoing agony and hopelessness again fuelled her anger. There was one major difference now. She was free and would let nothing stand in her way. Her wrath would be unleased onto these creatures. With this she roared her fury and charged forward to attack.

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Three of the drones ran ahead of the queen. A blue bolt blew the first drone apart as it charged closer but this did not stop its siblings. Using the agility inherited from their host, the two drones dodged the blue bolts of energy as they closed the distance and pounced on their attackers clawing and biting at the same time. The two blooded seeing that they could not fire at the drones who had pounced on their fellow hunters ran ahead to surround the Queen and attack the praetorian and remaining drone.

Kal'fa watched the larger of the two drones charge through the gore of the hard meat that was blown apart with the shoulder gun and leap to claw at him. The drone had managed to scratch the armor protecting his shoulder. Before it could land another hit Kal'fa thrusted his long blade forward piercing and penerating the hard skin in the torso of the drone. It was not dead yet but the wound was mortal and it would die in time. He forcefully threw the now thrashing body against side of the building and quickly shouted at the young hunters to surround the queen who was now in range.

Surrounding the queen would be the only chance they had and her only escape would be to climb the building on her left. To allow the young bloods time to get behind he threw one of his throwing knives at her chest letting her attention focus on him for the moment.

The other drone who had pounced on the young hunter slashed at his chest and used his tail to pierce through the lower right side of his torso. The hunter thrust his now extended wrist blades forward into the drone's neck before he could jump away. As the drone was still partially on top of him, he roared in agony as some of the acid blood ate through his shoulder armor and part of his shoulder and chest.

Quickly throwing the drone to the ground he extended his spear to land the killing blow through the neck. Though his injuries were deep he ran forward to join the others who had now surrounded the enraged queen.

Now with all the hunters surrounding the queen, the remaining drone took off toward Kv'jol and the two unconscious hunters. Before D'fal could turn to fire, the queen used her tail to knock a young blood into D'fal while charging forward to swipe her deadly claws at Ge'tur. Ignoring the pain as two more throwing knives slashed at her back she charged forward with the intent of killing at least one of the two hunters with the shoulder guns. D'fal quickly moved out of the way as she charged at him.

Behind the queen, Kal'fa had dashed forward and cut the pointed end of her tail off. Kal'fa needed both blooded hunters to use their shoulder guns if they were to stand a chance in gaining victory. The pain and loss of blood from this afflicted wound caused the enraged queen to turn, halting her attack on D'fal. Instead she suddenly dashed to her left, faking a charge at Ge'tur and drove her claws through a young hunter too slow to move from her sudden attack.

The praetorian charged at Ge'tur and almost pinned him to the ground when Ge'tur used the momentum of the fall to throw the praetorian off him. Before he could fire the queen swung her tail and sent him flying a feet away while throwing away the now motionless body of the hunter she had driven has claws through earlier. Meanwhile, the praetorian tackled a young hunter and used his inner mouth to pierce through his helmet before letting the body fall to the ground.

As soon as the praetorian released the body, he heard his queen order him to aid the drone. He could sense her sudden increase in agitation as more life forms seemed to be rushing toward the direction of the drone. The queen obviously did not want the drone to be killed nor want these hunters to receive backup later. Complying, he quickly ran in the direction of the drone.

Kal'fa was taken by surprise when the warrior hard meat turned to run in Kv'jol's direction. As the queen slowed her attacks from loss of blood from her injuries he stole a glance in Kv'jol's direction. The praetorian was still a distance away and Kv'jol from what he could see was still tackling the drone. What surpised him however was the presence of two oomans. One was kneeling beside an unconscious hunter while the other was armed and was running toward Kv'jol and the drone. Neither of them seemed to notice the nearing praetorian.

Regardless of the oomans' intentions however, he had to stay focused on the task at hand. And though he was concerned about Kv'jol as well he would have to trust his son to have the skill to survived the odds of the hard meat attack and possibly the attacks from the oomans.

They were having difficulties with the queen. It seemed that this queen hard meat was more reckless than others he had previously fought and was much more aggressive as well. Though large she was agile enough to dodge some attacks. However, she seemed to ignore the pain from some of the attacks and allowed herself the agony of the pain while returning her assult on them using unpredictatable attacks.

She would continue charging at her opponent even when attacks came from her side or behind her. They would not last long in such a situation especially with the young hunters being inexperienced from close range combat with the _kainde amedha_.

Two of the young bloods had already been killed and three of the four remaining young bloods were wounded seriously. Ge'tur with his previous injuries was also beginning to slow. Their chances of getting out of this hunt alive were becoming very slim.


	8. The first meeting

**CHAPTER 8**

First Meeting

Andree and Cora slowly made their way in the general direction where the invisible shimmering shape had landed and disappeared from sight. After walking a about a half hour they heard loud beeping sounds coming from close by. Seeing that they had lost track of wherever the shimmering object was they decided to investigate the sound that was cutting through the air.

Moving closer to the sound, a strong vibration similar to an earthquake could be felt. Feeling the tremors from the ground cease, they quickly rushed toward the sound. In the distance they could see thick smoke coming from behind a dark greenish grey building that stood a few stories high.

It had taken them less than a few minutes to get to the building. On arriving at the site Cora rushed forward to what resembled two unconscious men but slowed down when she saw these were not human but rather large humanoids. Looking over the two unconscious beings briefly she quickly knelt beside the one with open wounds when Andree put a hand gently on her shoulder. "Cora, I know you have a passion for helping the wounded and normally I wouldn't stop you attending to injured animals but judging from their gear these creatures appear to be dangerous."

Cora glanced up briefly at Andree before putting her backpack on the ground. "It's still unconscious so we can leave after I bandage it. Why don't you take a look around and see if you can find others who need help?" Andree sighed and stood up when she heard a loud hissing and growling sound nearby. Looking around she saw violent movement in the bushes a short distance away and saw the head of a xenomorph struggling and tackling something on the ground. Cora heard this and looked up as well.

"Andree...is that a..... xenomorph?" Cora stammered after registering the sight. Though fightened Andree had been in various fights before and quickly calmed her nerves. She needed Cora to be calm as well if they were going to pull through the mess they had gotten themselves into.

They couldn't simply leave now with the knowledge that there were xenomorphs around. Running back into the jungle without knowing how many more were possibly out there might cause them their lives. Besides, if these humanoids were fighting these xenos then they might stand a better chance if they helped each other out.

Grabbing her shoulders tightly Andree shook to get her attention. "Cora, you focus on attending to that wounded...creature. I'll help the other one out. We'll stand a better chance staying here for the moment than running away without knowing how many more xenomorphs are out there. Are you with me?" As soon as Cora nodded in acknowledgement Andree quickly removed her backpack before getting up and rush to aid the other humanoid.

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Both she and Cora had read about xenos before but this was the first time they had seen one and it was a truly horrific sight to behold. Andree quickly made her way to the fight a short distance away and paused. Though she could blow the drone apart using her shotgun how was she going to fire at it when it was on top of the humanoid?

If it was true that the xenos had acid for blood she couldn't fire until it somehow got off of the humanoid. And even as skilled as she was in martial arts there was no chance she would trial that on the deadly xeno.

Andree moved a few steps back and took careful aim at the tail that was now slowly taking aim at the chest of the creature pinned on the ground. The drone screeched and charged toward her as a large chunk of its tail flew off. She took aim at its head and fired again blowing a portion of its armored skull off. It slowed its charge but did not stop till a silver spear penerated its torso, making it crash to a stop a few feet from her.

The humanoid walked toward her and pulled out its spear then looked down slightly at her and made a soft clicking sound. It was at least six foot tall. It turned to the direction of its unconscious friends and quickly sprinted toward them growling aloud.

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Kv'jol felt his strength ebb away at the long struggle. He had tackled and led the hard meat away from the two injuried hunters. But after slashing the drone's upper limbs it had tackled him to the ground and the acid blood had burned through a part of his armor and a little had eaten away into his chest. He had pushed the pain aside but felt overwhelmed as he began to weaken under the drone's weight and strength.

The weight was suddenly lifted as he heard an ooman weapon fire in his direction. With the weight off him, he immediately got up and grabbed the spear he had lost during the tackle. Though the hard meat was injured, it continued its pursuit of the ooman. Taking careful aim he forcefully threw his spear at the drone, killing it instantly.

As he drew near to retrieve his spear the ooman backed away slowly. He nodded and clicked his thanks before quickly turning back to two unconscious hunters. Kv'jol saw another ooman who looked as if it was attending to the wounds. He growl in anger as he saw a warrior hard meat run toward them. This ooman did not appear armed and was not aware of the fast approaching hard meat. He quickly sprinted forward. Though he knew he would not be able to get there in time he hoped that he would at least be able to save one of the three.

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After leaving the larger ooman facility Sorus initially used the trees for cover. On putting some distance between the site, he ran the rest of the of the way to the smaller site. Having memorised the direction using his wrist computer earlier it did not take him long to get to his destination.

On arriving at the site he was shocked to see an ooman kneeling beside an unconscious young blood. As he closed the distance between them he looked behind the ooman and saw a charging hard meat. It was almost on top of the ooman before it turned to see the warrior _kainde amendha_ rushing forward. The ooman's reflex reaction surprised him when it immediately tried to cover the unconscious yautja using its body instead of turning to flee.

Quickly extending his spear, he threw it full force at the hard meat before it reached the ooman. As the_ kainde amendha_ stumbled backward from the impact Sorus ran past the ooman and rammed into the hard meat forcing the spear further into its shoulder. Not giving it a chance to retaliate he held onto the spear and forcefully swung the hard meat off it into the front of the building.

Roaring he charged toward the warrior hard meat. He turned his charge into a side roll as the _kainde amendha_ jumped forward meet him, its claws just missing him. Moving into a low crouching position from his roll, he slashed his spear across the shoulder wound to the torso.

He quickly moved to the hard meat's left but this time it matched his move and turn to its left in an attempt to pin him to the ground. In turn he countered this attack by closing the distance and slamming his wrist blades into the hard meat's neck. The _kainde amendha _continued to thrash wildly even after he pulled back. Raising his spear high he rammed it into its chest and ripped it free as the trashing slowed.

Turning around with spear in hand he walked slowly toward the ooman who was still on the ground staring up at him. As he moved forward he could tell that it was an unarmed female and judging by the bandages she had wrapped around the young hunter it was obvious she was trying to help. He could tell that she was afraid as she stood up and backed away from the young hunter while looking at him.

Looking slightly to the right he could saw Kv'jol slow to a stop before him bowing slightly in respect. An armed female ooman was running toward them but did not raise her weapon when she reached her friend.

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Andree witnessed the scene of the praetorian battling another humanoid as she ran forward. While running she noticed in her peripheral vision on the far left of the building that more humanoids were fighting off a huge xeno queen. Though the humanoids outnumbered her it appeared that the queen was gaining the upper hand.

Coming to a stop by Cora she looked up at the new comer and noticed why Cora was all of a sudden shaking in fear. It held a net with a human head inside. She held Cora's hand and slowly tucked at her as she began to move back slowly.

As if sensing their fear the seven foot humanoid shortened his spear and approached them slowly. It did not raise any weapon against them as it closed the distance. Instead it slowly raised a clawed hand in a non threathening gesture and gently put it on Cora's shoulder. It slowly crouched down to face Cora at eye level. "No need to fear...we not here to harm you."

Cora shuddered once slightly at the touch and looked down briefly a the net again before looking back up at the creature. She could tell Andree nearly jumped out to attack the humanoid as it put its hand on her shoulder. When it made contact with her she had to grasp Andree's hand tightly to prevent her friend from possibly being slaughtered.

Hearing it speak in English Andree moved in front of Cora slightly. "Well, before you say anything else I think you better move 'round the building and help your friends." With this she grabbed Cora's wrist and ran toward the corner of the building with the two humanoids close behind.


	9. Turning of the tide

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens and predator**

**CHAPTER 9**

Turning of the tide

Cora forced Andree to come to a stop as the queen xeno and other humanoids came into view from around the corner. Though scared of what she saw, Cora took in the scene before her and quickly formulated a plan. The fight was just a hundred feet away. The two creatures stopped abruptly behind them.

Just as the two humanoids were about to dash forward Cora quickly grabbed the wrist of the larger creature. She released it when it growled softly looking down at her. "We can't fight like you but we can work together to win this fight." Looking back at the direction of the fight, she pointed at the end of the building where the power generator was. It had long metal rods extending up, reaching the top of the second level of the building.

Cora didn't know how much it understood but she had to try. Andree on the other hand had got the gist of the idea and race back to the front of the building looking for other guns that were lying around.

Looking up at the masked creature Cora continued, trying to speak slowly even though she felt as though her heart was in her mouth. "Try to move the xeno toward the back of the building, we'll attack from above. Let it come up to us. We can both attack when it almost reaches the top and force her to fall down to the generator." Sorus briefly glanced at the generator at the end of the building then nodded in acknowledgement before replying. "Work together. Move fight to back of building." He then raced off with Kv'jol toward the fight.

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Cora sprinted to the front of the building as Andree met her at the door. Reloading her shotgun, she had another gun slung around behind her. They raced into the building together rushing through the building and searching for a lift or stairs to get to the roof.

They initially passed several offices and on going further into the building passed a few labs before hitting the staircase at the end of the room that led straight to the top. On reaching the staircase Andree started up the stairs but stopped when Cora didn't follow. "Andree, the weapons might draw the xeno queen's attention to come to us but it might not be enough to blast her down. I'll have to find something from the lab that has a bigger blast to force her down."

Andree grabbed Cora's shoulder as she turned back toward the labs in front of the staircase. "Cora we don't have time. I'll get to the roof and at least try to draw her attention to the generators. We can't win against this bitch if she kills those humanoids and runs away before we get up there." Then turning, Andree rushed up the stairs calling back, "I'll see you at the top."

Running back into the lab Cora quickly looked around. A large glass screen ran along one side of the lab. Behind it were containers that used to hold some kind of large oval object. That was where Cora spotted a red sign near the glass that indicated the presence of flammable substances. Swiftly moving toward the doors connecting to the inner lab with the containers, she found two large oxygen tanks sitting in a glass cabinet. Smashing the glass using a metal tool from a nearby table, she quickly grabbed one tank and tugged it under one arm before holding the second one on the nozzle end in one hand. Moving as fast as she could, she made it back to the stairs and up toward the roof.

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Back on the ground the hard meat queen slowed in her movements from the loss of blood from her tail and other wounds on her torso. Though the other wounds also impede on her movements somewhat, her wounds were not mortal yet. She had used her bleeding tail as a weapon, spraying the blood on three of the hunters as they charged at her. Two suffered minor burns as they dodged her tail but one suffer horrific burns down his back and side. There were now only three hunters left standing. In her rage she had viciously attacked and knocked out the others when they came too close.

Kal'fa cursed. Besides himself, only D'fal and another young blood were left standing. All of them had suffered wounds from this enraged queen. Their attacks were slowing due to the wounds sustained as well as the energy spent in this battle. The hunters that were out of the fight were badly wounded from burns now bleeding profusely or from internal injuries. Just as he was about to charge at the queen again a blood cuddling roar sounded off behind him.

Kv'jol threw a throwing knife at the queen's smaller arms as she swipped at the remaining young blood on the side. Though not severing the arm it was a deep cut. As she charged forward toward Kv'jol it gave Sorus the opportunity to run behind her and ram his disc through one of her back spines cutting it clean off. Landing on the other side of the queen, Sorus quickly signalled and barked at Kal'fa to move the queen back toward the generator.

Sorus threw his disc at the queen's neck this time in an attempt to draw her to him and away from the young hunters. She faked a charge at the young bloods before turning her charge at Sorus when he thrusted his disc at her neck. Even though she had turned in the general direction of the generator, the advancement toward it was slow.

D'fal promptly changed his position and fired another bolt at the Queen, coaxing her to move forward. For some reason she did not charge but seemed to wait for the hunters to charge and come into range. Their situation was getting desperate, at this rate more hunters would get killed. Just as Kal'fa closed in from behind as Sorus readied himself in the front. He got ready to slam his spear into the queen to cause her to charge forward at him but halted when ooman gunfire sounded off from above the building.

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Andree on reaching the top looked down and saw the humanoids slowly leading the xeno queen toward the generators. The advancement was too slow and though she was not at the generators, it was close enough. She began firing at the queen who turned her huge skull up at her. The queen made a quick swipe with her tail at a smaller humanoid that edged too close behind her then started to scale the wall side ways to get to Andee.

Watching from above, Andree grinned as the xeno continued its climb up. _Perfect!_ _She'll be directly over the generators if she maintained this approach. Now all I need is a good shot to push her down. _She continued her firing but now aimed at the clawed hands and feet to get her to loosen her grip. The queen was now half way up and did not show signs of slowing nor did the injuries to her limbs cause her to loose her grip on the wall. Below, one of the creatures started firing at her feet as well, in an attempt to make her loose her footing.

Still fast approaching, Andree knew she would not have the fire power to blast the queen down and quickly backed up on the roof when she saw the xeno reach the third storey. The door from the stairway slammed open behind Andree and Cora stumbled out with two oxygen tanks.

Andree quickly turn to her friend. "Quick, throw one over there. The queen's coming up." Without hesitation, Cora quickly dropped one to the ground and used both hands to heave one tank up before tossing it over to where Andree had indicated. Taking careful aim, Andree shot at the tank as it hit the ledge where she stood only moments ago. Though she had not seen the queen's ugly black skull the explosion of the tanks and loud screeching sound confirmed that it had hit its target.

Cora grabbed the remaining tank as Andree quickly but cautiously moved forward. They both edged toward the ledge of the roof that was now partially gone. On looking down they saw that the blast had forced the Queen down to the third level. She hissed up at them before resuming her climb. Looking at Andree, Cora raised the last oxygen tank over her head, "You better make this shot count."

As Andree took aim, Cora hurled the tank toward the queen. This time Andree waited for the tank to make contact before using her shotgun to hit it. The blast lifted them off their feet making them land hard in the middle of the roof while it forcefully propelled the queen down, impaling her on the metal rods just above the generators. Though the blast was powerful to blow her off the roof it did not sent her down into the generators as they had hoped. Hobbling over to the edge of the roof once more, they looked down to see the humanoids attacking her with their weapons.

The largest of the humanoids, who was almost eight feet in height drew his long blade and hacked it into her neck as she trashed wildly. Moving quickly he cut through the neck as the acid blood ate away at the rod and into the generator. Not wanting to have the upcoming blast of the generator in their face, Andree and Cora quickly moved back as they heard sizzling sounds coming from below. A few moments later a loud explosion sounded off, sending strong vibrations through the building.

Staying prone on the roof, they waited for the vibrations and blast to die down. For the moment, all they hoped for was that the building would hold.


	10. Calming the raging sea & Introductions

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens and predators**

**CHAPTER 10**

Calming of the raging sea

Kal'fa watched in surprise as an ooman from the roof of the building started firing down at the queen hard meat. Though not powerful enough to blow chunks off, it pierced the armoured skeleton making her shriek in pain before she turned to climb up the building. He turned to face Sorus as the hunter quickly explained the oomans' plan to take down the hard meat queen.

The five remaining hunters moved quickly toward the generator and watched the scene from below. D'fal had tried to assist when the ooman weapon's firepower was too weak to bring it down. But all were shocked when the queen was blown back along with a portion of the roof after the ooman had disappeared from sight for a moment.

Still looking up, two oomans now stood at the rocky edge. When one threw a cylindrical object at the queen the other pointed its weapon and fired as it made contact. The blast threw the _kainde amendha _queen down with such force that it impaled her on the metal rods in front of them.

They would have to quickly kill her before her blood burnt through the rods. A hunter on each side of the queen swiftly worked to severe her outer arms while D'fal fired at one of her legs to incapacitate her should she free herself. As the arm closest to Kal'fa was severed, he rammed his long blade into her neck and used all his strength to bring it down forcefully, cutting the head off the now violently trashing queen.

Hearing the ooman electrical power device sizzling and sparking near them Kal'fa shouted for all to quickly retreat. D'fal along with Kv'jol grabbed the skull while Kal'fa and the other two hunter sprinted off toward the other unconscious hunters lying nearby. They hastily moved as many downed hunters as they could before the generator exploded behind them a moment later.

Introductions

After the roar of the explosion had somewhat died down, Andree and Cora slowly made their way to another area of the roof to look down. There were several humanoids carrying either dead bodies of their comrades or the unconscious to the front of the building where they had seen the two unconscious ones. All up, only five were left standing and all showed injuries except the one that saved Cora from the praetorian.

Backing slowly away from the edge of the roof they sat down looking at each other for a moment. Breaking the silence, Cora sighed loudly before speaking unenthusiastically, "This is some adventure."

"Yea, now all we have to do is try to get back to the resort without being killed by those things down below." Andree was looking down at the gun and checking the ammo left. The one she had picked up was already out and she only had six refills left for her shotgun. There was no way they'd survive if those creatures attacked them.

Shaking her head to clear it of other negative possibilities Cora felt that it would perhaps be a good idea to talk and reason with them. They both had seen the large humanoid save her even if it hold a human head in its net. If it had wanted to harm them it would have done so when they first met. This species was obviously an intelligent race. Having spoken to them in their language and listened to the plan of attack earlier clearly showed that they were sentient. She just hoped that her own reasoning were right.

"Well, we might as well go down and meet them." Andree looked over at Cora. She couldn't tell if her friend was nervous or excited. Cora always had a way to deal with difficult situations. She was more prudent when it came to situations that required diplomacy. Herself on the other hand, she was more tactful when it came to issues that required practicality in action.

As they slowly stood up, Andree took one last glance down and saw the humanoid who saved Cora signal them to go down with a wave of a hand. She walked behind Cora wondering how the situation was going to turn out from the now inevitable meeting.

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Leaving the devastation behind them the remaining hunters all assisted in moving the bodies and the unconscious injured to where the two young hunters laid unconscious outside the entrance of the facility. Kal'fa typed into his wrist computer for T'sde to bring the ship in closer. Turning to Sorus after sending the message, he approached the warrior for an update. As he listened, his mandibles flared in aggression at learning of a second site. After the warrior had finished Kal'fa in turn updated him on the situation the group had undergone.

Now that he knew all the oomans had evacuated the planet he wondered why two female oomans were present at this site. Though he suspected they had perhaps been hiding at this smaller site all along, he decided that he would let Sorus question them before deciding their fate. After all, they had been of great help in the killing of the queen and had also tended to the wounds of the young hunter. Despite having suffered the loss of only four young hunters, he had no doubt that none would have survived had the oomans not assisted.

It had been awhile since the explosion and the two oomans still did not make an appearance. Looking up Sorus spotted the armed one look down at them. He pointed to the ground and gestured for them to come back down. After a few minutes, the two slowly walked out of the building toward Kal'fa and himself. Kal'fa had asked D'fal, Kv'jol and the other young hunter to attend to the four unconscious while he and Sorus sorted out the issue at hand with the oomans.

Kal'fa stepped slightly in front of Sorus when the oomans stopped in front of them. He greeted the unarmed ooman who stood a little in front before doing the same to the armed ooman behind. Pointing to himself he gave them his name. Then stepping back allowed Sorus to step up and introduce himself.

This time Sorus merely nodded at both then pointing to his chest and said his name. The oomans tried a few times before pronouncing their names right. They then pointed at themselves and gave their names. The unarmed ooman, named Cora, was a little shorter than her friend Andree and had short wavy hair just short of touching her shoulders. From what he heard from Sorus, she had not only tended to the wounds but tried to protect the young hunter when the _kainde amendha_ had attacked them.

Studying Andree, he looked at the weapon she carried and the posture she held as she rested her gaze on him. She had longer hair which was tied behind and would have reached her shoulder blades if it was let down. Both looked fit though Andree appeared to carry herself better as a warrior or fighter.

He nodded at Sorus to begin. "Why...you on planet?"

Cora looked up at Sorus before answering. "We came to this planet for a holiday. We were trekking in the jungle when we heard loud sounds and stumbled on this site."

Kal'fa clicked in acknowledgement at the information.

"Why are all of you here?" Cora asked softly, looking down a little nervously at the net still hanging from his waist.

Sorus glanced over at Kal'fa. Both could tell they were scared because of the skull in his net. Kal'fa clicked a few times at Sorus before he faced the oomans again.

Pointing at the direction of the queen's skull and dead warrior _kainde amendha_nearby he clicked at them, "Hard meat." Then pointed to himself and the other hunters and said, "Yautja."

He paused for a moment and continued when they nodded in understanding. "We here to hunt hard meat. I find bad ooman making hard meat...use hard meat to hurt yautja. Bad ooman make trophy." Sorus looked at both oomans, watching as they digested the information in silence.

Then Andree stepped up to Cora and looked at Sorus. "We understand now why you killed him." After a moment's pause she continued, "We need to return to the resort now. We have to warn the others to leave this planet in case there are more of these...hard meat."

This time Kal'fa spoke up, "All oomans gone. Andree...Cora stay. Big group safe."

Cora sighed slightly, "Alright, we will stay for now but we need to get off this planet as well. We will head back to the resort facility tomorrow." Then turning to look at the injured around them, Cora spoke again. "I can try to salvage something from this lab and help with the wounded..."

At this Kal'fa chuckled slightly. "Yautja heal fast. We have medicine...help wounds heal."


	11. Marks of honor & Making friends

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens and predator**

**CHAPTER 11**

Marks of honor

Kal'fa decided to blood both oomans. They had both been honorable in their actions and had assisted with killing the queen. There was little doubt that few or none of the hunters would have survived had they not aided in the fight. He understood that they were both unsure and even a little fearful in their current situation. However in the present circumstance, being honored prey he would allow them to decide if they wanted to return with his hunters or not.

Being an elder he decided that should they choose to join the clan then he would train them both. Looking at Cora he silently thought to himself, she might be a little more difficult to train. Though all her actions were very honorable she appeared to have more of a healer's nature at heart than a hunter. Standing back slightly he explained his intentions to Sorus and let him translate the information. "Elder Kal'fa wishes to honor both of you. He use hard meat blood to give...honor mark...make you both blooded." With this he slowly removed his mask and pointed at the etched mark on his forehead.

Cora and Andree had seen many species before but this was a first. Cora looked at Sorus' face, almost studying it in an intrigued manner while Andree looked at him, fascination clearly written on her face. Had they met in different circumstances they would not have the guts to look upon the yautja's face in interest but rather in horror. Looking at the mark they both pondered on the meaning it held. Having been trained in various martial arts, Andree had a better understanding of the concept of mark and nodded in acceptance. She glanced over at Cora who looked unsure about the sudden upbringing of this issue.

"Sorus, in our culture honor in fighting means the person is an accomplished fighter. I mean no disrespect but I personally prefer not to be seen as a fighter." Cora glanced over a little nervously at Kal'fa who nodded in understanding, she didn't know how they would respond to her refusal but the older yautja did not seem too fazed from her decline. Cora watching as Kal'fa clicked a few times at Sorus who turned to face her again. "Elder Kal'fa give you different mark on neck...mark of healer."

Smiling slightly Cora nodded. One more issue still bothered her however. Looking at the slow dripping acid coming from the praetorian, she noted at how it easily ate into the ground and all around it. Pure acid like that could easily kill or injure them badly if they did not have something to partially neutralise it. Facing Kal'fa she enquired, "Before you give us this mark can I quickly find something that might stop the acid from burning us too deeply?" Kal'fa was a little puzzled at this request but nodded. After all, yautja blood was not the same as ooman blood and the hard meat _thwei_might burn them too deeply. Yautja blood could slow the burn and could neutralise the hard meat _thwei_somewhat but oomans blood would not have the same qualities.

Cora grabbed Andree's arm and ran back into the building, looking for a kitchen or cooking area. She wouldn't bother with using chemicals that she was not familiar with and planned to use a natural alkaline in food to act as a neutraliser. After all, the people in this building had to eat and since this was an expensive facility, it was bound to be stocked with different kinds of food.

Both waiting yautja were surprised to see the female oomans return each carrying the half of a large fruit in their hands. Sensing their bewilderment Cora chuckled and stepped up to explain. "We call this fruit a watermelon. It has alkaline qualities, a high water content and is cold. This will help neutralise the acid a little as well as ease the pain."

Though still puzzled as to how food could do this Kal'fa nodded then led them to the dead warrior _kainde amendha _lying nearby. Both oomans took out small cloths from their clothes and mashed it into the fruit till it was dripping with it before putting the fruit on the ground. Kal'fa broke one finger off the hard meat and stepped up to Andree first. Normally K'rve being the leader would blood the warriors but as an elder he was able to do this in the absence of his brother. He carefully drew the clan's symbol then stepped back as she quickly put the wet cloth on her forehead. He then stepped up to Cora and tilted her head up a little. He drew the same symbol but added a little more detail before withdrawing.

Sorus looked at Cora thoughtfully. Even in such circumstances where she did not have medicines for her own kind she was able to adapt and improvise. She would make a good healer if she decided to train under the two healers on the main training ship.

Making Friends clicking in italics

After blooding the two oomans, Kal'fa nodded and turned to face Sorus. "_We will tend to the injured for now. Tomorrow I will take T'sde and three young bloods out to search for any remaining kainde amendha. D'fal's wounds are not severe and will stay on the ship with Ge'tur and the two other young bloods who are badly injured._"

Looking at the two newly blooded, Sorus nodded. "_I will take the two oomans back to the other site tomorrow._" Turning slight, the elder nodded. "_I will then leave both oomans under your charge._" Sorus clicked in acknowledgement before Kal'fa walked back to the group of hunters tending to their own wounds as well as the unconscious wounded.

Andree and Cora looked on as the two yautja clicked at each other before Kal'fa turned and walked back to the group. Cora stepped up to Sorus after the elder left, "Since Andree and I will be leaving tomorrow for the resort can we help with anything for the time being?"

Sorus looked at her, amused at her keen willingness to assist. "We help injured yautja now. Tomorrow I go with Andree and you."

Cora and Andree nodded in agreement. Though they still felt a little uneasy being with these hunters, it was no doubt safer. Both of them still found the human head in the net disturbing but weren't going to bring this up for discussion and cause unnecessary friction to the newly forged friendship with this race.


	12. Who needs treatment?

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**CHAPTER 12**

Who needs treatment?

Moving over to the group of hunters, both Andree and Cora slowly looked over each hunter. There were four unconscious on the ground and the other four attending to them, including the elder, had injuries. The hunter's method of healing the burns and cuts seemed very brutal even to Andree. She had been wounded in her training before but nothing could have prepared her to witness such painful methods in tending to open wounds. All cuts as well as other open flesh wounds involved cauterizing to seal it or using various devices to close the wound. After a minute of observing she glanced over at Cora who after making careful observations picked two hunters whom she suspected to have fractures or broken bones.

The first was an unconscious hunter who had uneven breathing. This was a typical a sign that his ribs were broken and had probably punctured a lung, either that or the pain of badly fractured ribs was causing this reaction. The second was a young hunter who was tending a wound. He appeared to be moving one arm a little awkwardly. Since there were no visible signs of injury on the outside, he might have broken something on the inside. He appeared to be unconcerned about his injury and had automatically adapted his movement to guard it from further pain. However Cora knew from her work experience that if not treated he could be crippled.

Turning to Andree, she relayed her findings to her as Sorus stood just behind listening in as well. "I'm going back to the building to find some bandages." Turning to face the nearby jungle Cora addressed her friend. "Andree can you find two relatively straight but sturdy sticks or small branches nearby." Then glancing up a little nervously at the seven foot hunter, she pointed to the young blood with the suspected fracture. "Can you please ask that hunter to rest for the moment." Putting his mask back on Sorus tilted his head slightly at her and nodded before walking over to the young blood.

Sorus walked up to the group and scanned the two yautja and found that though Cora could not determine where the exact injury was her findings were rather accurate. This made him all the more intrigued as to how she could identify so much by mere observation in such a short span of time.

With Cora dashing back to the building and Andree walking to look for the sticks, he approached the young blood to ask him to cease his treatment of another. Seeing Andree searching for the items nearby he strolled toward her. He would find out more about Cora while helping to find the sticks. As he approached, Andree looked up briefly at him but continued her search when he crouched down to look at the fallen branches nearby.

"Cora...healer in ooman world?"

Turning to face Sorus slightly while continuing her search she replied, "Cora is not a human doctor or healer. In her previous studies and her current occupation she works closely with a variety of species."

He pondered this for a moment before continuing, "Healer for animals?"

Chuckling slightly Andree stopped and looked at Sorus. "Sort of. She initially studied to help humans function better after a serious injury." Turning her face away from him she paused for a moment before speaking in a more serious tone. "But after an incident she decided to move her studies from helping humans to animals. Now she assists with animals in their natural habitat as well as aid the survival of endangered species on various human planets."

Sorus made a soft clicking sound before turning away to continue the search. Andree was glad that the topic wasn't pursued. It was something she and Cora never brought up after the incident as it was a painful memory.

This was not what he had expected. It was interesting to learn how Cora had a strong compassion to aid others and where her skills had come from. But he had not expected any information about her personal life and past. The curiosity of the incident that occurred was now slowly eating at him but he knew better than to ask. This was not the right time.

As curious as he was, he knew they were still unsettled with the sudden meeting of the _kainde amendha_as well as the yautja. He needed to gain their trust first before approaching their personal space. Of the years of experience he had in hunting oomans, he had met only a few similar to Andree but none like Cora. Due to his curiosity and interest in the unknown he had often strived to learn more about the species he hunted. This had served him well in the careful selection and hunting of worthy prey that gained him much honor.

Though Cora did not present as a threat in any way and would be unsuitable for hunting, she managed to plan the attack on the queen in a matter of seconds. Meeting an ooman like her was a first for him and it sparked an interest in him. His thoughts drifted to the trip tomorrow where he would accompany them back to the other ooman site. Silently he hoped that they would choose to stay so he could better study them, particularly Cora.

He walked back to the site with Andree carrying several sticks and small branches. Cora had also just rushed out of the building with many rolls of cloths in her arms. She approached Ge'tur first and after placing the rolled up cloths on the ground, she looked upward to the sky. The breeze caused by the ship could be felt from behind them. It had landed in the coverings of the jungle a short distance from the ooman site.

Sorus and Andree continued to walk over to Cora. As they passed the young blood with the fractured humerus Sorus directed him over to them. Attending to Ge'tur first, Cora asked Sorus to gently lift him from behind while she and Andree stood on either side of the unconscious being. As his body was lifted a small trace of blood could be seen dripping from the bottom of the helmet as the breathing changed slightly.

Ge'tur's torso was too wide for Cora to wrap the cloths around so Andree had to help on the other side. Together they quickly wrapped the cloths firmly around his chest. Cora then slowly and gently trace both hands over his ribs and identified at least two broken ribs on the right side. She then asked Sorus to gently turn him on the right.

Sorus looked at her in confusion. "Injury right side. Lie on right make injury worse."

Despite still being a little frightened of this yautja for killing a man Cora smiled slightly, "I used to think like that too when I was training in first aid but look at the blood coming from his mouth and his breathing. His right lung is probably punctured and he will drown in his blood if he lies on his back. If he lies on his left the blood will flood his right lung first then the left."

Then moving forward to start rolling the huge body to the side she added, " The broken bones might take longer to heal but we need to preserve his life first so he can heal later."

Kv'jol came to help turn Ge'tur as well when he was finishing with attending to the others. Cora turned to him slowly while supporting the body, "Stay with him and keep his body in this position." Sorus translated it to him before following Cora and Andree slowly stood up to attend to the other injured young blood.

Cora selected two sticks in the pile and handed it to Andree who began to smooth it down using a small knife she had tied to her ankle. The wood needed to be smooth to reduced the bumps and from causing pressure problems as well as reduce discomfort.

Sorus stood by the young blood and informed him that Cora was a healer and would attend to his fracture. He clicked in annoyance at being attended to by an ooman but a low growl from the elder who stood close by silenced him instantly. Cora had just begun to gently feel his left upper arm for signs of pain in the hope of locating the fracture when Sorus pointed at the exact location.

"Broken here."

She looked at him a little surprised before asking Andree to position both sticks on either side of the hunter's brawny arm. She wrapped the cloths above and below the fracture then faced the hunter and said firmly, "Don't use this arm for anything until you get further medical assistance or you might end up crippling yourself."

Sorus quickly translated this and the surprised young hunter bowed slightly to Cora as she continued to look up at him. She had unknowingly prevented the possible crippling of this hunter and had saved him from becoming an eta.


	13. Needed rest

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**CHAPTER 13**

Needed rest

T'sde approached the group as Cora finished wrapping the bandage. Kal'fa stepped in front of all the hunters and informed them of the plans for the next day. Instead of selecting three young bloods as originally planned, he picked two. The hunter with the fractured arm was initially one that he'd have picked. However seeing that Cora had discovered the injury and asked him to limit his movements he did not think it wise for the young hunter to join the group as it might hinder the rest.

Seeing a few hunters looking at the oomans he informed the group that had proven themselves honorable in assisting with the killing of the queen and helping their wounded. Therefore both had been blooded as warrior and the other as a healer. He continued to explain that though they were a part of the clan now, being oomans they had freedom to choose between staying with the clan or returning to the ooman world.

The hunters all nodded at the oomans as a sign of respect in being newly blooded before returning their attention to Kal'fa. The elder then barked orders out to have all the unconscious carried on-board the ship along with the queen's skull. D'fal was charged with all the hunters that were to remain on the ship as well as duties required on the ship till Kal'fa returned. Kal'fa, T'sde, the two young bloods would rest outside along with Sorus and the two oomans.

Andree and Cora watched as the injured and unconscious were carried away. They had followed the group back into the jungle to make camp but were still close by the facility. There were only five of the hunters left with them. As they sat down to rest, Andree watched Kal'fa as he ordered two yautja to go off somewhere. She assumed from what she had observed so far that Kal'fa being the elder was not only bigger and taller he also carried himself with far more confidence. In her years of training, she had several teachers but not all were worthy of respect. However, from observation, she summised that the elder must be a great leader in the clan to have merit such respect from all the others.

Kal'fa glance to look at Andree as he noticed her watching him order T'sde and Kv'jol to go out to hunt for food. He would have asked Sorus to go along on the hunt but needed him here to translate to the two oomans. After hearing from Sorus about the oomans having a secondary lab he had planned to ask the two oomans to check this lab for more information on this. As he was about to approach Sorus and ask him to talk to Andree and Cora he watched as the two females walked a short distance away before sitting down. They sat cross legged facing each other, eyes closed and slowed their breathing. Their position showed deep meditation. He would ask them later after the hunters had returned and when they were having their meal.

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Meditation usually lasted for just over a half hour but they halved the time. After the long trek and the unexpected events that had occurred, they were both worn out. Pulling their sleeping bags out they laid down to sleep, barely aware that the hunters had just started a fire nearby. None of the hunters bothered them as they settled down.

Sorus observed both oomans from a distance as they slowly relaxed after meditation and settle down to rest. The sun had only begun to set on this world and both oomans had not waited for the hunters to return from their hunt for food. They must have been very tired. He waited till they had gone to sleep before taking the skull out of his net to clean it.

He understood their fear when they first met him. Having an ooman skull hanging on his waist was not the best impression to give in their first meeting. Still, he admired their courage in coming out of their comfort zone to aid them. He was glad that he did not need to go on the hunt as it would give him time to observe both oomans. Initially he had planned to talk to them but both had soon fallen asleep after calming down. Sighing he looked down at the skull he was polishing. At least their resting would give him time to clean his price without needing to worry about their attention on him.

Kal'fa sat across from Sorus as he cleaned the ooman skull. He turned slighly to look over at the two sleeping oomans. From years of training the unblooded and young bloods, he knew from experience that most were unsettled when they first met the hard meat. Being able to to calm down and sleep so easily after their meditation amazed him.

He had hoped to ask the oomans to check the lab before the hunters returned. However, they were obviously worn out. He would have to ask them before they departed for the other ooman site tomorrow. Having the intention to leave and return to a world they were familiar with was no surprise. Despite understanding their desire to return to something familiar, he had wanted to spend more time with the two oomans. Both were unique in their own way and it was always good to learn more from a species the yautja had deemed as worthy prey over the ages.

Well aware that Sorus being an experienced hunter felt the same, he knew that the elite warrior would try to convince both to stay with the clan. Events could change in a blink of an eye. For now he would wait patiently till all had been finalised. Fate had allowed their meeting and though the oomans had made up their mind on leaving perhaps fate would intervene again and change the course of things to come. Now only time would tell.


	14. Disturbing findings

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predators**

**Chapter 14**

Disturbing findings

Andree woke up and looked around sleepily. She almost jolted up and out of her sleeping bag when she spotted the yautja resting nearby but instead slowly got up as she recalled the events of yesterday. She turned to Cora who was still sleeping. Hearing soft clicking to her side she turned sharply to see a yautja that she did not recognise approach her slowly. He held a piece of cooked meat in his hand and offered it to her.

Feeling a little awkward, she raised her hand up and gingerly took it from him nodding her thanks. Chewing slowly, she found the meat to be very tender. While eating she noticed that two of the younger looking hunters were sleeping lightly. Kal'fa and Sorus were not in the group and she suspected that both hunters must be close by on outskirt duty while the group rested.

Cora slowly got up and yawned as she was finishing the piece of meat. After Cora got up and both had packed their sleeping bags, the same hunter gave Cora a piece of meat as well then went back to his spot to rest. Andree looked at her watch. They had slept just over six hours and it would be another couple of hours before sunrise.

Looking in the direction of the facility she could just make out the glow of the bright lights coming from the entrance. "Cora, do you want to check the lab out? I'm curious to know what sort of information these people have on the xenos before we return to the resort."

With the meat still half eaten Cora grabbed her backpack and got up. "I've been a little curious too. We might as well go now as it would probably take awhile for you to get into their files." Cora knew that Andree was good at hacking into computers. It was a side hobby she took on since her studies when bored in her classes.

When Andree stood up as well, the hunter who was awake looked up at them. Andree looked at him then turned her head in the direction of the facility before pointing at the building. "We're going there for awhile. We'll come back at sunrise." Seeing the hunter nod once in acknowledgement, they turned and silently walked toward the facility.

T'sde didn't understand all of what the ooman said but her gestures made it clear. He would tell the elder when he returned.

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Kal'fa returned to the camp after scouting the area and was surprised to see both oomans missing. He turned to T'sde for an explanation. As T'sde explained he clicked his mandibles in annoyance and frustration. There could still be _kainde amedha_around and T'sde had let them go off on their own! He growled and ordered him to stay with the group while he went to locate the two oomans. Seeing Sorus return as he started for the ooman facility, he briefly explained the situation before asking him to continue scouting the area.

On returning, Sorus was shocked to hear the news. Hissing at T'sde for his stupidity, he took off again to scout the area. Kal'fa sighed and shook his head at the situation before quickly making his way to the ooman lab.

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After a brief search they found the main computers on the third level. Though it took a while, Andree was able to hacked into the files. The researchers appeared to take much precaution in their work and had some findings about the xenos' behaviour.

Sitting in front of the computer, they were so immersed in the shocking findings that both did not notice the approach of slow footsteps behind them. Feeling the sudden presence of another in the room Andree turned sharply and attacked the being.

Kal'fa moved through the ooman facility quickly, looking for any sign of heat signatures left behind. He silently cursed as he made it through the first then second level without any luck. On reaching the third he entered the first room and heard fast tapping of buttons. Moving silently, he made his way deeper into the room and saw both oomans reading something on a screen. Neither had noticed his presence as he approached.

He thought silently to himself that if a _kainde amedha_had been present both would have lost their lives. Just as he reached them he was taken by surprise as Andree suddenly turned to attack him. She had used a fancy manoeuvre, slamming her foot hard on the side of his knee then aimed for his hip. Though he managed to deflect the second blow to his hip the first knocked him back a few steps.

Her attack though delayed had impressed him. She was obviously startled by his presence but her reflex and moves were effective. He lightly spread open lower mandibles in a way of a grin behind as she halt her attacks on recognising him. Few hunters had been able to surprise him over the years with their skills. Yet here before him stood an ooman female who was able to not only surprise him with her moves but knock him back a few steps. Should he find an open opportunity, he would invited her to a friendly one on one spar.

After knocking the being back, Andree stopped in surprise as she became aware that her presumed attacker was Kal'fa. She responded as she would have in her martial arts training and bowed her head low. "Kal'fa, I'm sorry. I did not realise it was you."

"No apologies. Good attack."

Andree looked up at him, surprised at what she thought was a compliment for the attack. Then smiling she waved him over to the computer to relay their findings. "We found something about the xenomorphs in their system." She turned back to the screen and glanced at Cora was still looked a little stunned by the attack.

It became clear that the yautja did not see things humans did when Kal'fa stood staring blankly at the screen then back at Andree and Cora. Turning to face Kal'fa, Cora relayed the findings while Andree continued to try and search for more information. Kal'fa was clearly not happy as he growled softly on hearing that five xeno eggs had been shipped off. The location of the other site was apparently not stored in the computer files.

After another hour, Andree relayed further information after hacking into more files. She found that there were notes about how the researchers were finding a means to control the paetorians. In the protection of the queen the praetorian were challenging but apparently easier to control when they witnessed their queen being harmed.

The researchers had only started this technique of 'control' a few weeks ago. Apparently if the warrior xeno did not respond in accordance to the will of their captors the queen would be tortured. They wanted to develop and duplicate this control to apparently defeat other non-human species in the wars that this company would wage against.

Kal'fa frowned at hearing all this information. When he got back to the main ship he would need to start a search for the five eggs. However, he would have to make a quick search for more hard meat here first. Hearing the information from Andree had been even more disturbing when both oomans appeared to almost be amazed at the news of the hard meat being controlled. He would have to explain to them that this was a species that was not too be meddled with.

Getting both their attention he spoke firmly, "No control hard meat. Yautja hunt hard meat...never try control hard meat. Hard meat dangerous...kill everything." He looked on as they both nodded.

Much time had been spent here and the information they had was sufficient. They would need to get going as the sun was soon to rise. "Come. We go now." He led the way out, breathing in deeply and sighing. As intelligent as oomans were attempting to control the hard meat was madness and had to be stopped at all costs.

Over the years, he heard rumors of oomans trying to control the _kainde amedha_and as far as he was aware, none had ever succeeded. After so many failed attempted and the sacrifice of many he would have thought that they would cease such foolishness. However, like any race there were always a few that stood out from the rest. The bad oomans in this particular case stood out for a bad cause and he would see to it that they would be stopped.


	15. Preparing to set out

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 15**

Preparing to set out

The sun had just begun to rise when they walked out the building. All the yautja were assembled outside waiting for Kal'fa. Slowly walking out the building, Kal'fa carefully considered the information about the hard meat eggs on another planet. It may take them weeks, months and even years to locate these eggs.

He glanced over his shoulder at the two oomans. Andree had taken a mini palm sized computer with her from the building and downloaded all the information she could on it. Perhaps that might make it easier to hunt down the bad oomans. Though even with the help of the small computer in her hands it might still take months. Both oomans spoke of finding information on their own after returning to their homeworld and to meet again on this planet to pass what information they found in a month.

As far as he was concerned, yautja technology was far more advanced in searching the planets when the coordinates were found. If the small computer indeed held useful information on the coordinates then this could be immediately passed on to them if the oomans stayed with the clan. Moreover, he was not willing to waste time by returning to this planet once every month just to meet up to get more information.

Time was of essence and a new hive could have been created by then. It was worse if the bad oomans had attempted to once again control the hard meat. Exterminating the _kainde amedha_ with the intelligence of the _pyode amedha _behind it all was going to be anything but easy.

To make the search as short as possible he would need Andree and Cora to stay with the clan till the second ooman site was found. Approaching the group he turned to Sorus and explained the situation. He needed Sorus to talk to both the oomans about this and convince them to stay and help.

Sorus listened to the information in silence before nodding and walking up to the oomans. "Kal'fa informed me of information you found...we need you both...stay with clan make search short or situation become dangerous." He watched as Andree and Cora looked at each other considering the information. He knew they could still refuse but silently hoped that they would return with them.

Seeing them hesitate and sensing their uncertainty Sorus silently added, "We send you back to ooman world after hunt if you wish."

Looking a little nervously at each other, they both had the same thoughts running through their minds. Returning with the yautja was something they had not considered. Talking and making friends with a race that appeared to focus on hunting for a day or two was fine but to join them was not going to be the same.

Giving them time to sort out their thoughts and consider their options, both hunters were patient and awaited for their answer in silence. Looking down at mini computer Andree held, Cora slowly took it from her before meeting her gaze. "Perhaps we should abstain from the comforts of our lives for the moment. I don't want to live in fear and regret knowing that those five eggs spread to kill countless innocent people when I had the opportunity to prevent it."

Looking at Cora, Andree knew that her friend shared same fear she felt in considering to take the step forward into an unfamiliar world. Still, she knew Cora was right. If they had chosen not to assist because of their current fear, they would forever be haunted by the deaths of those who were killed as a result from the likely spreading of the xenos.

Knowing that Cora, usually the quiet observer, had voiced out her thoughts and made her decision, she would hesistate no further. Clenching her fists slightly, Andree decided. If she was going to do this, she would face it with courage and not fear. After all, she was a fighter already and was now marked as a hunter. With her personality she would have less problems in adapting anyway. It was Cora she was a little concerned about. Still, with the comfort of knowing that her friend seemed to have a strange way of gradually drawing all sorts of people to her with her gentle personality, she only hoped that Cora wouldn't find it too difficult to adapt.

After they both agreed, Kal'fa asked Sorus to return to the ship with the oomans. He needed Sorus to make masks for the oomans while he and the others searched for any remaining hard meat. "_Sorus, return with them to the ship. Prepare two masks for them using the spare ones. We will find a more permanent solution to help them breath our air on the main ship when we meet the healers._" Then turning he nodded at Andree and Cora before facing the group of three and headed off.

Sorus turned toward the ship and waved at the oomans to follow. "We go to ship. Make breathing mask."

After walking a short distance Cora decided to break the silence. "So...do we have to wear the breathing gear all the time? And...will we be doing anything else besides look for these xeno eggs?"

Listening to her concerns, he smiled inwardly. It amazed him to see how she considered issues pertaining to what she and her friend were going to do shortly after agreeing to return to the clan with them. If it was her habit to think far ahead then it was perhaps one of the reason why she was able to plan the attack on the queen so quickly. This female was interestingly unique in more ways than one and it would definitely be worth his time to learn more about her during their stay.

Slowing his pace he turned slightly to face her. "Healers on main ship give better breathing device. No need wear mask on main ship." Looking at Cora then Andree he considered his next words with care. "Andree train as warrior under elders with young bloods. Cora train with healers."

Laughing out loud Andree tapped Cora on the shoulder from behind. "Well, looks like we're on an extended holiday and have gotten ourselves another adventure." Cora laughed along with her friend easing the tension in the air. It had helped that both she and Cora had been exposed to variety of species before this encounter. Even though their previous experiences could not be compared to this, it had at least enabled them to present with a somewhat calmer composure instead of a fearful one. Still, they were both a little nervous but having each other as company would help to somewhat ease the fears.

As they neared the ship, Sorus signalled them to wait a moment outside. He had to get the masks as well as some other equipment to make the necessary modifications. Andree considered their situation. Though they may be uncomfortable in this unfamiliar situation it was wasn't all bad. If she could train with them it would make her a stronger fighter. For Cora, she could observe yet another species. Besides, seeing that her friend was always keen on helping others she now had the opportunity to study advance med so it was a bonus.


	16. Heading into an unfamiliar world

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 16**

Heading Into An Unfamiliar World

Kal'fa returned just after midday. They did not find other _kainde amedha _in the area during the search. However, in case there were any they missed and were still roaming nearby, he would ensure that they would not escape. Before returning to the ship he had set his wrist bomb to go off in the ooman lab. The bomb was set only after received word from Sorus that the masks for the oomans were completed.

Destroying the site would prevent any information getting to the bad oomans should they return as well as killing any hard meat that were possibly missed in their search. He swiftly made his way to the small clearing and as he neared the entrance of the ship he saw Sorus with the completed modified masks. He moved to stand beside Sorus watching as Andree and Cora tried on the masks. It was a perfect fit.

"_Sorus you got my message on the bomb? It is set to go off in ten minutes. We should get going._" Kal'fa turned to look at the oomans. "Bomb in ooman lab. We go now." He led the way onboard followed closely by Sorus and the oomans then the remaining hunters. Glancing back as they boarded, the elder noted that the oomans were not in the right position. Even though they were here to help, they had both been blooded and would need to undergo training. Both oomans would need to learn their place onboard the main ship and he would entrust the second most senior on this vessel to teach them that.

On boarding Kal'fa directed Kv'jol to close the ramp and sent T'sde to the control centre for take off. Kal'fa then turned to Andree and Cora. "We talk later. I talk to leader...Elder K'rve on main ship. Stay close to Sorus he show you ship." He needed to inform his brother about the details of the hunt as well as the oomans.

Kal'fa trusted Sorus with the oomans. As far as he could tell, Sorus did not show any ill intention toward either of them unlike some narrow minded yautja. In fact he was rather open minded which had led him to becoming an elite hunter on their world.

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Sorus directed Andree and Cora to follow him through the ship. The yautja that were unconscious yesterday were now up and about. They did not know of the female oomans that had joined the clan and would need to be told.

With his high rank he highly doubt any of the young bloods or blooded would challenge him. Either way, he would be cautious especially when around the young hunters. There were known for their recklessness and would almost definitely go out of their way to harm or at least taunt the oomans if the opportunity was present. After all, all yautja grew up with the knowledge of oomans as prey. With the less experienced hunters having little or no exposure to their kind it was not surprising why lower ranking hunters were narrow minded.

Walking through the ship he explained and showed them the basic layout of this smaller training ship. He had to slow his pace as he showed them around as they looked at everything with keen interest. In a way the two were like the unblooded when they boarded the training ship for the first time. Slowly walking down the corridor, he observed them from a short distance away. Andree was intrigued with the material and structure of the ship while Cora was constantly looking around observing the environment and the yautja walking pass them.

Having just over a day to spare before docking with the main ship Sorus let them take their time in each area. He in turn watched and listened to them carefully. Andree occasionally made a few comments, comparing the ship's designs to the ooman buildings. Cora on the other hand was more reserved, listening to both Andree and himself while keeping her thoughts to herself.

While allowing them time to look around each room Sorus was able to talk to a few yautja they passed who were not yet aware of the presence of the oomans. Most of the young had nodded in respect but he could see many were still wary and uncertain about the two especially after learning about the bad oomans.

He had delibrately left the cooking/eating area to the last. Andree and Cora needed to learn the basic ranks as well as their place in the clan when they arrived at the main ship. Moreover, conversing with them would also help him learn their language more quickly.

After showing them the _kehrite_, the pit, control centre, common shower area, the trophy display area and private quarters Sorus ended the tour at the dining area. The layout of the tables and benches reminded Andree of school canteens except on a much larger scale. There were several rectangular tables that sat about four yautja each.

They sat down at one of the tables close by with Sorus on one bench and two of them on the other. She had a feeling that the talk was going to be somewhat important. "You both need to understand different ranks in yautja culture." Sorus went on to explain that they were now the same as the young bloods, the only difference was Cora being blooded as purely a healer and would not be challenged to fights.

The explanation covered the ranks of the unblooded, blooded, warriors, honored/elite hunters and elders as well as the positions they would take in a hunt. Though there were other ranks both higher and lower, he did not see it essential to debrief those at the moment. They would need time to digest the information and learn to recognise the yautja in different ranks. He had also mentioned the names of the yautja they met onboard.

From observation he knew that they had already learnt to recognise the difference between the young and blooded as well as acknowledge Kal'fa as the elder. Kal'fa was just out of his prime when he was made an elder. It was rare but not unheard of. Having recognised the slightly different features of their crests and general appearance to determine age, they could use that as an approximate guide to a yautja's rank.

A question from Andree brought him out of his thoughts. "So...Sorus what rank do you hold? You look older than Ge'tur and T'sde but not as old as Kal'fa." Twitching his upper mandibles he glanced over at Cora who looked at him through the mask. "I am elite hunter. Prefer hunting alone." Cora looked at the table and smiled as Andree asked Sorus more questions both general and personal. This included what he was doing in the group hunt, if he would stay and train the young as well as other questions relating to the daily routine in the yautja culture. It never cease to amaze her that Andree though still a little frighten like herself was always able to push her fears out so easily and continue to be her outspoken self.

Before either could speak Cora put gently put one hand over Sorus' hand and the other on Andree's hand to get both their attention. "I think the personal questions can wait. But it would be good to know what the daily routine is like." Then removing her hands and stretching slightly she rested her gaze on Sorus. "I would also like to meet some of the yautja we passed on the way here. They had burn injuries now scars but are already adapting their movements to accommodate to the lost of muscle tissue."

Feeling Cora gently put her hand over his startled him a little but it had effectively got both their attention. Instead of feeling awkward, he felt strangly calm at her touch. Her sudden statement about meeting those with burns had puzzled him though. Did she have a way to treat the scar tissue that the yautja wasn't aware of?

Andree who was equally puzzled asked Cora, "What is the point in meeting them if the scars have already developed? They had shown their adaptation to the scars from these injuries. Isn't that a good thing?" Cora watched as both Andree and Sorus now had their eyes on her waiting for her answer.

"Well, for one it would be great to build a rapport with the other yautja. Secondly, with a little deep tissue massage over newly formed scars it will discourage the build up of the scar tissue from going too deep and encourage tissue underneath to grow back." She looked at Sorus again. "Don't you agree that helping the young hunters this way might benefit them during hunts in the long run?"

Considering this for a moment he nodded in agreement. It would be good to build a rapport with the others as neither he nor the elders would be around them all the time. Also, if this massage technique could aid the regrowth of muscle then it would definitely assist any hunter. He looked at Cora thoughtfully, he was glad that she had come along. Her techniques of treatment were obviously different from theirs. Even with the advance med techniques they had, it was always good to learn something new if it helped.

Turning his attention to Andree he covered the routine the young bloods had in their training. Then bringing his attention back to Cora he informed her that she would need to talk to the healers to learn of her routine while training under them.

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In the control room, Kal'fa sent a detailed update on the hunt as well as the events that followed. Not wanting the other yautja to present as threatening he requested K'rve to inform all aboard of Andree and Cora's arrival.

Remembering that the healers were working on a breathing device to be planted in the windpipe he sent a message for both healers to be present when they arrived. The devices were almost perfected. However, the tiny device was not built strong enough to support the yautja lung capacity. Oomans had a smaller lung capacity hence the device would meet their needs.

All that was required was for the device to be modified to supply the air oomans breath. The device would convert any air to the one they required. The only time they would require the masks was when they required the use of multiple visions for hunting purposes.

Kal'fa sighed deeply as he considered other issues relating to the oomans' stay with them. He quickly sent another message to K'rve addressing the issue of their accommodation. The healers would also need to access the ooman's room to check on them after they had been implanted with the breathing device.


	17. In preparation for the new arrivals

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens and predators.**

**Chapter 17**

In preparation for the new arrivals

K'rve read the message with surprise. Though a little disturbed by the news of the _pyonde amedha_trying to gain control of the hard meat it did not come as a surprise. Soon after the oomans started exploring different planets they appeared to only focus on gaining more land and power.

He read with increasing interest especially after the mention of two female oomans assisting with killing the queen and assisting with the wounded yautja. Despite being impressed with their assistance he would have high expectations of them. Being blooded meant they would both be trained in their respective areas.

K'rve had trained many generations of yautja. His _m__ei'hswei_had also trained many yautja and though he was recently ranked as an elder he was not careless in his decisions. If Kal'fa deemed these oomans as worthy he would likewise treat them as he would the other young hunters onboard and give them a fair opportunity to train with the young bloods.

Challenges between the young bloods was common. He knew that such challenge in the ooman culture was rare with exception of the armed and trained. He would not shield Andree and Cora from such challenges but he would not tolerate the young bloods taunting them either.

K'rve sat in the control station a while longer before ordering the blooded hunter beside him to assemble all the yautja onboard in the _kehrite_. He had already sent a young blood to prepare a private room for both oomans to share. Though holding the same rank as the other young bloods, he knew Kal'fa was right. It would not be wise to have them mix with the other young aggressive males. They were a different species and were both female, he would not risk any 'incidents' with the less tolerate young hunters onboard. He had given specific instructions to have two sets of sleeping furs in the room. The young bloods gave him a questioning look but said nothing when he carried out his duties.

Having relayed the message to the healers, Tofvi and Hrael would not doubt be working on modifying the devices for the oomans now. Knowing the temperaments of both healers well K'rve knew they would be frustrated at being disturbed to attend this meeting. However, he needed to make a few things known to all before the ship arrived in a few hours and would not waste time repeating himself again.

Slowly standing from the chair in the control centre, he started to make his way down to the training area. He could hear loud clicking and chattering as he approached the large room but all fell silent as he walked in. Standing in front of all the yautja he announced the arrival of the ship as well as the two female oomans. Hearing this, clicking from the young bloods of their disbelief and shock could be heard through the room.

Raising his voice to silence the crowd he continued. _"The oomans have been blooded and you will all treat them with respect and as equals." _A young blood then spoke up before he continued, _"Are we allowed to challenge them?" _K'rve looked at the young blood who raised the question.

K'rve let silence hang in the air for a moment before answering. _"They hold the same rank as you. You may challenge them. However, I will not tolerate any yautja who goes out of their way to taunt or injure them deliberately. Such action will be faced with severe punishment."_

The elder knew that the young bloods were not yet exposed to oomans on their hunts and the blooded here had limited experience as well. _"Few clans have warrior oomans with them. You may all take this opportunity to learn about their culture and fighting styles." _

All yautja learnt from young about the _pyode amedha _being dangerous prey due to their intelligence. He wanted the young to try to communicate with them and learn to speak their language. This would assist in their understanding of how oomans processed their thoughts and help the young hunters in their future hunts.

Prior to dismissing the yautja he added, _"You will all meet the oomans in time. When the ship arrives besides myself and the healers I want to see no other hunter present in the docking bay. Is that clear?" _All the yautja fell to silence and bowed their heads down slightly to acknowledge the order.

On the way out he stopped in front of Tofvi and Hrael. _"The ship will arrive in a matter of hours, will the breathing devices be ready by then?" _Tofvi looked up at the nine foot elder, _"Yes, it will be ready in the next hour."_

K'rve nodded at the healers before walking out of the area. Now not only he but the rest of the yautja on board would be keen on meeting these two oomans. He smiled inwardly at this thought. Kal'fa seemed almost protective of the oomans in his message when he asked for all the yautja to be informed and prepared for their arrival.

The message had indicated that Cora was blooded as a healer hence the probability of her facing challenges of any sort would be down to a minimum. The ooman Andree was blooded as a warrior and would train as a young blood. This made him wonder if Kal'fa's message was meant more for protecting Andree from unnecessary fights with the other young bloods.

Being protective of another hunter was not exactly common. However, the fact remained that this ooman was a female. Could his brother have been impressed by her so quickly over such a short period of time to enable such emotions? Pondering about this would get him nowhere. After their arrival he would make his own observations and would meanwhile reserve his thoughts to himself.

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Soon after Audrey arrived at the secondary site, she arranged for the eggs to be sent down to the laboratory. The arrangements had already been made for the set up of the eggs in this smaller facility. Ethan had apparently been well prepared for this. They would need to find and prepare for the new hosts soon.

Working under Ethan was indeed an honor. This research would truly be a great success. With a little help from Ethan's brother, it would be a breeze to have this project lift off. The fruits of their research were soon to be reached all they needed now was for Ethan to come onboard to make the general check and give authorisation for the start up of the second site.

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Special thanks to all the people who have given their reviews. It is truly encouraging. Thank you all once again for your supportive comments.

And to all others who are reading my story, I hope you continue to enjoy it.


	18. Beginnings of emotions

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**CHAPTER 18**

The beginnings of emotion

Walking out of the control centre and down the corridor, Kal'fa was passing the _kehrite _on his way to the eating area when he noticed a small group of young bloods along with Sorus and the oomans sitting on the ground in the training area. He walked in to take a closer look and saw Andree trying to teach two young bloods speak her language in one area while close by Sorus sat with Cora, Ge'tur, D'fal and another young blood. Cora was trying to show the yautja in her group how to tend to the scars they had just received a day ago with Sorus translating to the group.

Moving into the room, he silently approved of their actions. Both were making good progress in building rapport with the other hunters which would help them settle in when they docked at the main ship. As he walked closer to the groups the hunters now noticing his presence started to stand but he gestured for them to remain where they were. Then moving toward Andree, he watched as the three bowed their heads as he approached. Moving closer, one young blood shifted back slightly as he moved to sit between him and Andree.

Hunters of different ranks rarely sat together like this unless it was during meals or when different generations of the family met. It was not an uneasy feeling though. Andree seemed to have a glow around her. Attempting to make friends with young bloods should have been particularly difficult but she tried anyway. Even without being supported by any of the older hunters she appeared comfortable in their company showing both a strong and courageous spirit.

Attempting to teach the young bloods her language would no doubt assist in communicating with them later. For the young bloods this would be a great opportunity to learn about oomans which would assist them in hunts in their later years. Any yautja could kill an ooman easily but only those who carefully chose worthy prey to hunt would gain great honor. However, this building of rapport between them would also work in Andree's favor. She had much to learn about their species and though she seemed an accomplished warrior on her world there was much more room for improvement.

In joining the group, he had also learnt much from Andree and after three hours he could now speak with greater fluency. The young bloods had also learnt fast and althought they could not make whole sentences yet they could already express their thoughts effectively. Seeing the two young bloods bow to him and nod to Andree before rising to return to the pit to rest, he turned his attention to Andree who still looked full of energy. It had seemed as if she were the teacher in this instance but he did not mind. In fact, he felt at ease talking to her as well as the young bloods in this informal manner which was rather unexpected.

"Would you like some rest as well?"

Tilting her face up to meet his gaze through the mask she shook her head. "No, not yet. Besides, you could perhaps train me now in a few basic techniques."

Chuckling at her eagerness he shook his head slightly. "Need time to get use to vision of mask...not your normal sight. Not used to vision will hinder training." Then thinking about the move she executed on the tropical planet he added, "I train you and young bloods on main ship...you have some training from ooman world, maybe we spar after late meal in spare time."

Andree looked up at him and grinned behind her mask. "Yes I would love that."

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Across the room Sorus helped to translate while Cora explained the effects and importance of continuously attending to their new scars as well as the old. The three yautja were not only gaining more knowledge in the new methods of taking care of their wounds without medicines but were also picking up her language fast.

With the long hours spent in talking in the training area he could see that they were all a little tired and would need rest before docking in a few hours. Though the information Cora gave was both interesting and useful to all the hunters they would have to cease the discussion and get some rest for now. Seeing movement in Andree's group, he looked over and noticed the two young bloods from her group rise to return to the pit for to rest. Taking this opportunity to cease their discussion as well he signalled the blooded and young blood in their group to do the same.

D'fal before leaving turned his attention to Cora and spoke softly. "Thank you for help on hunt. I go clear room. You and Andree rest there."

Cora turned to Sorus in puzzlement to the blooded hunter's actions. "D'fal is of a higher rank so isn't offering his room to someone of a lower rank inappropriate?"

Gazing down at Cora he clicked lightly. "No. If he offers it is fine if you ask it maybe inappropriate." Considering D'fal's actions, he explained further. "You gained D'fal's respect by helping in queen hunt. He understands you both need rest and it is not safe to rest in pit with younger hunters. Young bloods are not as tolerate as older hunters in understanding honor in a different race." Hearing this Cora nodded in understanding.

Having observed Cora throughout the time he spent with her, he found that she was firm when it came to attending to the injuries of others. Despite being firm she also had a soft and gentle nature which enabled others to approach her easily. She was not outspoken and outgoing like her friend but she was not afraid to express her thoughts when it was absolutely essential.

It was obvious to him that she had a very quiet personality which showed through her preference to passively be involved in situations instead of playing an active role. In this instance though she had played the role of being outspoken in order to teach the hunters something beneficial and had seemed to radiate a kind of calmness to all in the group.

Reflecting back on his feelings over the recent years, he suddenly became aware of the fact that he had found peace and contentment while in her presence, this was something which he did not seem to find elsewhere. During his solitary hunting he had felt a growing emptiness that could not be filled no matter what he did. Gaining increasing honor from countless hunts as well as having several mates in the past who bore him many offspring had not filled the emptiness in his unsettled heart. He had initially thought that having greater honor or the pleasure of mating with females to gain more offspring would fill this void but he was wrong.

Looking at Cora as she stood up gracefully he reflected on how he had thoroughly enjoyed hunting alone as well as learning about other species in his hunts. This enjoyment in the recent years had begun to diminish as the emptiness filled its place which ultimately resulted in his decision to dock at the main ship a month ago. During the time on the main ship he had considered teaching the young assuming that in sharing his knowledge it would ease the yearning in his heart for something more. However it was only after meeting Cora that he come to realise that it was meaningful companionship he seeked.

Finally finding what he needed to fill his empty heart had allowed peace of mind to return but despite this it had not yet fully settled his restless heart. He had initially viewed both oomans as allies to the clan and only now came to realise why he had a growing interest in learning more about Cora in particular. His first meeting with her had shown him how courageous she was in defending the life of another without regard for her own. If she could act so honorably in such a situation she would no doubt be a trustworthy person in other smaller issues.

Her calm and quiet company as well as gentleness had led him to understand his own need for companionship. However what now bothered him was whether it meant finding companionship of his own kind or with her in particular. Having travelled for almost a month in the main training ship had not yet swayed his heart's decision in staying to train the young. But surprisingly after only knowing Cora for a short span of time she was already calming him with just her presence.

Pondering this, he wondered why he had developed a sudden deep attraction for her if it was just her friendship or general company that he seeked. She was an ooman and not even a warrior ooman at that. However in learning from experience he knew never to judge a being by their appearance but by their spirit. It was true that her gentle spirit had somehow drawn his need for her companionship and it did not matter that she was not a hunter. Even if she did not have the status of being a blooded healer, this mattered little to him. Her being able to settle him by just her presence was a clear indication to him that perhaps it was not only her companionship but her very spirit and being that he seeked.

Standing up beside her Sorus gently put a clawed hand on her elbow. "Come, I will show you the room, you need to rest a while before we dock."

Seeing Cora looked up at him and nod in acknowledgement before calling out to Andree to join her, he released her elbow and led the way. Not in his wildest imagination would he have anticipated that his heart seeked companionship from such an unexpected source. But identifying this sudden need for her company felt right and it gave him focus in life again. As both oomans followed him to the room he glanced over his shoulder at Cora . This would be the greatest challenge he had to face yet. He would need to somehow capture her heart during her stay on the main ship and he had a feeling it would not be easy.


	19. Arrival at the main training ship

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 19**

Arrival at the main training ship

After Sorus led them to the private quarters for the higher ranking hunters, he showed them into the room and immediately left to let them both rest. As much as he wanted to continue talking to Cora he knew that would have to wait till she was well rested. He could perhaps spend more time with her on the larger training ship and help her settle in.

Sighing, he shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts. Having acknowledged his attraction to her just mere moments ago, his mind was already starting to clog with thoughts for this young ooman healer. Walking down the corridor to another room situated close by he glanced back once more at the room the females occupied before moving into his own room to rest.

Departing after leaving them both in the room, Andree and Cora had a quick look around. It was probably small by hunter standard as they were rather large creatures but it was huge for them. It had all the basic necessities they required, this included a small bathroom, storage area as well as a large bed that could easily fit another large person together with them.

Putting her backpack on the ground, Andree climbed tiredly onto the bed. "I hope we get some rest after we get to the larger ship because I seriously doubt we're going to get a good sleep here especially since we're expecting them to wake us when the ship docks."

Following Andree's lead Cora crawled into bed as well. "Yea, I think we're going to need some rest after we dock because I don't think I can sleep that well with a mask on." Lying back and pulling a fur blanket over, she turned slightly to face Andree. "They did mention giving us better breathing devices so I'm assuming it is either something that is going to be attached to us or injected in our windpipe."

Stretching slightly Andree closed her eyes from slight dizziness resulting from the different colours of heat that showed through her visor. "To be honest, seeing that their technology is so advanced, I'm not really concerned. So long as I can move around freely without the obstruction of the new device I have no complains."

She was silently thankful that the elder had not trained her after their discussion was over. He was right in saying that she had not fully adjusted to the vision the mask provided and that it would have been a pure waste of time if they had commence her training today. Opening her eyes once more before resting, she could see Cora already in a more comfortable position dozing lightly. Shutting her eyes once again she attempted to push all her thoughts and feelings of concern and excitement aside.

They had slept lightly for about two hours on the huge bed when loud knocking on their door woke them up. Knowing that the ship was about to land soon they quickly jumped out of bed and shouldered their backpacks before moving to open the door.

A few minutes prior to landing, Kal'fa walked to the room the oomans occupied to wake them. Shortly after knocking, he stood to the side of the door as it slid open and mentioned them out. "We dock soon. Come we go to assembly area."

Leaving D'fal and T'sde to manage the controls of the ship and prepare it to dock he led Andree and Cora to the assembly area. He had heard earlier from Sorus that he had covered the basic ranks and formalities with both oomans as well as their daily routines. Glancing back at the oomans as they reached the assembly area he directed them to stand with the young bloods. Nodding inwardly as they stood beside to young hunters towering over them he concured that learning just the basics would have to do for now, both oomans would eventually learn the rest in time.

Soon after all had assembled, a very slight vibration could be felt as the ship docked. With the stillness of silence in the air all in the room could hear the soft hissing as the door in front of the assembly area opened while the ramp extended down. With all the yautja were present, Kal'fa slowly led the way down and was followed closely by Sorus and Ge'tur with Andree and Cora walking out with the young bloods.

Watching from a distance as the small training ship moved into the inner docking area, K'rve waited for it to dock before moving toward the ship when the ramp extended to the ground. Seeing his _mei'hswei _walk down the ramp he put a clawed hand down on his shoulder and shook slightly when they assembled outside the ship. Kal'fa returned the gesture before turning to look behind the leader at Tofvi and Hrael. "_Have the healers completed the devices already_?"

Raising his brow in slight amusement at Kal'fa's first concern after arriving he nodded. "_Yes they have and I would like the oomans to be implanted with it immediately. They will have half a day's rest before starting their training_." Glancing behind Kal'fa at the two female oomans standing with the young bloods he studied them for a moment before returning his attention back to Kal'fa. "_Looks like you have had quite an adventure on this trip,_ _I will be looking forward to hearing the details of this hunt from you later._"

After pausing a moment K'rve spoke a little more casually, "_Kal'fa, after reading your message I have been looking forward to meeting both oomans as you spoke rather highly of them. With their training soon to commence I am curious to see how well they perform in their respective areas after receiving some training_." As Kal'fa nodded he moved toward the group with both Kal'fa and the healers close behind.

All the yautja bowed in respect as the elders turned their attention to them and seeing K'rve step in front a little all turned to him as he addressed the group. _"Several unforeseen events occurred on this hunt and you have survived and gained much experience from it. Many of you have been injured badly and will need a little more time to heal, go now and rest you will all continue your training tomorrow after the early meal."_

Dismissing the blooded and young bloods, he walked up to the oomans and greeted them as he had with Kal'fa. Being nine feet tall he was aware that they would not be able to return the gesture and backed up slightly when he saw them bowed low in respect. Signaling Sorus to stand by him to translate to them as he glanced over at the warrior briefly before turning back to the oomans.

"_As leader of the Silver Star clan I welcome you onboard and honor both of you for assisting in the queen hunt as well as the search for the missing hard meat. We will discuss the details of the search later but for now I want both of you to follow the healers to the medical bay and have the breathing devices implanted."_Translating all the elder had said, Sorus paused for a moment and looked at K'rve who thought about other details pertaining to the oomans.

After a short moment K'rve looked a little more seriously at Sorus before continuing, _"Tell them that they will both rest in an allocated room for a half day before commencing their training."_With both oomans nodding in understanding after Sorus had finished explaining, he nodded back at them before turning to walk away with Kal'fa.

Kal'fa glanced back at Andree as they walked through the docking area and down the corridor. After updating K'rve on the events in detail and discussing the things to come he would check up on both oomans. He was glad that more yautja had not been present as it might have been unnerving for Andree and Cora with the presence of all onboard. Tapping his upper right mandible, he was pleased that K'rve took heed to his requests and had put in the effort to ease the arrival of the newly blooded oomans.

Half the day had already gone by when they arrived and the implanting of the device would take less than an hour however, both oomans would be injected with the sleep drug and would need their rest after the implant. Walking beside K'rve in relative silence he wondered if Andree would be up by the time they had their late meal. If she had the energy to begin training later, after the implant, he could at least spend a few spare hours showing her some of their basic moves before the official training began tomorrow. As he continued to let his thoughts dwell on the possibilities that tonight could bring, the question K'rve suddenly asked promptly brought him out of his thoughts.

K'rve had noticed that Kal'fa was awfully quiet as they walked down the corridor. His brother was never one to keep the silence especially after such an eventful hunt. A little curious, he decided to break the silence so as to gain more insight on the situation. "_Kal'fa, is something wrong? Are you worried about the issues relating to this hunt?_"

Glancing briefly at K'rve he tilted his head slightly and nodded before replying halfheartedly. "_Yes I have a few concerns...some are about the kainde amedha eggs._" Kal'fa didn't know why K'rve would ask him this knowing that he had read the details in the message but shrugged it off as it wasn't unusual for a leader to be curious about issues of concern in a hunt.

As they continued walking K'rve knew that his brother was truthful in his answer but had either knowingly or unknowingly avoided the mention of the oomans. If was rather obvious that though some concerns were related to the hard meat eggs others concerns not mentioned were pertaining to the presence of the oomans. This was made clear when they left the oomans with the healers, his brother had unconsciously glanced back at them in concern but did not seem to be aware of his own feelings in the situation.

Seeing this as the opportune moment to touch on the topic he decided to ask Kal'fa about it, this would at least make him a little more aware of his own feelings if he had not yet noticed it. "_Are you also concerned about the oomans? I mean no offense but I assumed from your message that your concern of not wanting the oomans to feel threatened here seem to indicate that you cared deeply for these newly blooded. And as Andree would be the only one training as a warrior she would most likely receive challenges from young bloods...are you concern about her?_"

Being a little taken back at his brother's directness he explained his reasoning for the details in the message regarding the oomans. _"I do have a particular interest in the warrior ooman however this is because she had surprised...and impressed me when she attacked me by accident while in the ooman lab." _Seeing K've look at him in a peculiar way he recount the events on the way back to the main ship and told of how Andree had caught his attention when talking to the young bloods. _"She has an outgoing but friendly nature and was outspoken at the same time making it easy to get along with the other yautja." _

Listening to him recount the events he chuckled inwardly at Kal'fa's ignorance to his growing affections for this female. It may have been the matter of them being a different species that eluded him from the fact that he was in some way attracted to her. Yautja and ooman pairing though rare was not unheard of, he just never thought he would ever come across it much less to his own _mei'hswei_.

He was not one to meddle unnecessarily in other yautja's personal affairs unless it affected his own or the clan's honor. Both oomans had been blooded and were deemed honorable, and though he had always felt it was odd for their kind to pair with another species he was not against it as it did not affect him in any way. Even with this case involving his brother he would treat this situation as he would any other and would not interfere with such personal affairs.

Knowing Kal'fa was not one who was easy to impress he would trust his younger brother's judgement should he choose to court the female. "_Kal'fa, if you ever intend on pursing this ooman...Andree who is to train under you, you will have to do it discreetly otherwise it may draw trouble to her by young bloods seeking to climb in rank._"

Sighing out loud, Kal'fa shook his head to clear his thoughts as well as avoid dwelling on what K'rve had said and decided to change the topic. "_We need to discuss the issue of the oomans taking the hard meat eggs._" He knew that K'rve was good at analyzing situations and was perhaps right about him being attracted to Andree however he would have to examine his conscience later, now was not the right time. This was a training ship and besides discussing the search for the eggs they would need to organise other hunts as well, his personal feelings and emotions could be sorted out later after he was done with his duties.

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Sorus had once again been left with Andree and Cora to follow the healers and be their translator. If he had met both oomans under different circumstances he doubt he would have agreed to act as their medium but he was glad that was not the case. As he was not a formal trainer onboard he had little duties to undertake except the occasional request from the elders and due to his high rank no one onboard would disturb him unnecessarily except the elders.

While following the healers down to the medical bay he quietly wondered if he would be able to spend more time with Cora. He did not know how long it would take to find the missing hard meat eggs and a part of him wanted it to be soon but another part wanted the search to last forever. Both oomans had stated that they wanted to return home after assisting with the search so he would need to use what time he had with Cora wisely if he did not want to loose her.

Glancing back at both oomans he felt the beginnings of despairity rise as he thought back to all his encounters with oomans, they were a race that generally feared greater power with which they had no control of. Moreover the difference in their culture would probably result in them viewing the yautja customs as nothing more than a species of brutal upbringing that only trained to hunt and kill.

Now his only hope was that she would somehow gain an understanding of his culture and gradually allow him to come closer to her as this would be the only way he might stand a chance in courting her. He just could not risk letting her go if she was the only one who could fill the empty longing in his heart and he would do everything he could to bridge the gap in the lack of understanding between their races.


	20. Implantation

**Disclaimer : I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 20**

Implantation

Walking to the medical bay Andree enthusiastically talked as they walked through the ship whereas Cora remained quiet most of the time, only making the occasional passing comments while observing their new surroundings. Glancing behind at both oomans occasionally, the senior healer was a little keen to know which of the two would train under him. Tofvi had closely observed both females as they followed closely behind and secretly hoped that the one who presented as being high spirited was the ooman healer.

Turning to Sorus he slowed his pace slightly to walk beside the senior warrior. _"Sorus, which ooman is to train in the medical bay?"_Grunting aloud when he obtained an unfavorable answer he looked back at the quiet figure with disdain but said nothing. Though it wasn't physically taxing to train in the medical bay compared it was in the _kehrite, _he had hoped for someone with more energy compared to one that would be quiet like a mouse.

Sorus noticing his reaction instantly growled at him. "_Do not be so quick to pass judgement on her as a blooded hunter and senior healer you are expected to train her as you would a blooded yautja to act otherwise would be dishonorable._" Hearing this Tofvi bowed his head at being reprimanded by his senior as they continued to walk on in silence.

After walking down long corridors with strange designs and marking on them Hrael stopped in front a large door as they turned a corner. Raising his hand a panel on the right side of the door he waved at Cora to move up beside him. If she were to train under them she might as well start learning immediately. Looking down at her he spoke with a few carefully chosen words that he learnt in her language.

"Watch...learn code."

Hrael slowly pressed a few different symbols in a specific sequence to open the door and looked at Cora as she nodded to indicate she memorised the sequence. After the door opened Hrael stopped any from entering then directed Cora's attention back to the panel. This time he pressed three different symbols causing the door to shut and lock. Gesturing for Cora to try he and Tofvi stood back to watch as she opened then closed the door.

With getting the simplest of things out of the way now, Tofvi led the way in followed closely by Sorus, Hrael and the two oomans. The room was huge with ten enormous tables that closely resembled the beds. From what Cora could make out through the mask this room was lit slightly better than the corridors. Slowly looking around she noticed all kinds of storage areas similar to the one in the room she saw aboard the smaller ship.

The pentagon shaped room had five long smooth walls that appeared to have similar designs to the ones along the corridor but seemed less solid. Making the walls so dense in the corridors now made her wonder if the yautja occasionally fought there, it was a strange thought but this was something that would perhaps be answered later during their stay. Continuing to make close observations she looked at the long working bench lining three sides of the room while leaving one for the entrance and the remaining wall for cleansing purposes. Smiling slightly at the general environment, she found the medical bay to be in part a lab of sorts as well and it would be interesting to study both thir healing methods as well as how these medicines were made.

She was so immersed in observing the new environment that Sorus startled her when he came up beside her to gently direct her to lie on the table next to Andree. Tilting her face down slightly in embaressment she stepped over to the table quickly and dropped her backpack next to Andree's before using one hand to push herself up onto the table.

As Andree turned to look at Cora she smiled behind her mask despite feeling anxious about what the yautja healers were going to do to them. "Well lets see whose going to wake first shall we?" It was obvious to her when they directed her to lie on the medical table that she and Cora were going to be put to sleep.

Turning to face her friend, Cora laughed lightly at the friendly challenge. "Yea, lets see who wakes first."

She was grateful that Andree was present to lighten the mood a little. They were both apprehensive about the proceedings of whatever was to happen but had no choice if they did not want to wear the mask while on the ship. Lying down on the lightly padded table she looked at the ceiling and just hoped that these healers knew the human anatomy well enough to conduct this implant.

Tofvi walked from one of the nearby benches to the tables holding two small devices in one hand and two small syringes in the other hand. He handed one of each to Hrael who stood beside Cora before he moved up to Andree. Turning his attention to Sorus, he explained the entire procedure for the implant then paused a moment before informing him that both oomans would need to be brought back to their rooms immediately after the implant. A group of young bloods were going to train with weapons and there were bound to be a few who got injured as usual. With other yautja coming in and out soon he did not want two tables to be taken up just so the oomans could rest here when they could do the same in their private quarters.

Before commencing with the implant Sorus instructed Tofvi and Hrael to wait till he had translated the proceedings to the oomans, after all they sentient beings and it would no doubt be a frightful experience if they did not know what to expect. Standing at the foot of the tables Sorus watched as the oomans fixed their attention on him. "You will both be put to sleep for implantation of the breathing device in your windpipe and brought back to your room to rest after the implant is completed." After they nodded the healers moved up and injected the clear liquid under their neck, slowing their breathing almost immediately and putting them out a short moment later.

Standing at the side of the room Sorus observed the entire procedure while wearing his mask. Tofvi, the senior of the two had stated that the necessary modifications had been made to the devices and that the only possible complication was the actual attaching of the device to the trachea. As experienced as the healers were, yautja hands were large and attaching such a small device on the oomans' small windpipe would prove to be a challenging task.

Through his mask, Sorus monitored Andree and Cora's breathing as well as other vitals. He watched as the frontal area of the neck was cleaned and cut open. With steady hands the skilled healers moved with precision, they each used a metal apparatus to keep the area open while maneuvering the breathing device to clamp on the trachea. It took a while to have the device clamped around the trachea and a second check was made to ensure it was secured firmly. Removing the metal apparatus, a liquid similar to the ones hunters used to cauterize their bleeding wounds closed was gently rubbed on the incision on their necks instantly sealing it closed.

On successfully completing the implant, Tofvi turned to face Sorus who stood at one side of the room like a statue. "_They can be moved to their room to rest now. It would probably be another two hours before either of them wakes, so do you want to update the elders while we carry them back?_"

Still observing their vitals Sorus glanced up briefly at Tofvi and shook his head before moving to pick their backpacks from the ground, slinging one on each shoulder. _"No. I will take one of the oomans back with you while Hrael updates the elders."_As both healers nodded he moved up next to Cora and gently scooped her up in his arms while letting Tofvi carry Andree and lead the way to their room.

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Recalling the events over past day, Audrey clenched her fists in anger. It had taken a few hours to get confirmation and authorisation from the higher ups in the organisation after she arrived at the second site. She had expected Ethan to turn up in the last few hours but after a day of no show she surprisingly got an unexpected message from Ethan's brother, Darren. Though Darren was the younger of the two he still had authority to make decisions pertaining to this project and had allowed it to commence without his brother being present.

Not one to question higher authority, Audrey had quickly sent word to have some hosts secured for the implantation stage. She was shocked to learn that Darren in giving the go ahead with the project had also arranged for sickly people to be selected and sent over for the implantation. These people were kidnapped from the lower class population from lowly populated planets the organisation owned. This was something Ethan would have never permitted and she not matter how against she was against this decision she had no say in it. They were the unfortunate ones that were selected and she knew that Darren must have wanted this as the easy way out of future problems. The xenos took on the characteristics of their hosts and he did not want to risk it taking some deadly traits of a predator with which they were not familiar with.

Having been given the go ahead by Darren, she would temporarily take charge and would need to report directly to him. She was keen to know what happened to Ethan as this was really his project and while his brother was informed of it, Darren hardly showed any interest in the project when Ethan first proposed it. After sending the message out for the project to continue as well as to obtain hosts immediately after their arrival on this wet cold harsh planet, it had taken just over a day for five humans to be shipped over from the few selected planets in their database.

Focusing on the present once again, she looked at the individual pens holding the eggs and the humans secured in each pen, she observed with bottled anger and hopelessness as each egg slowly opened to reveal the facehuggers inside. Watching two of the men rouse and open their eyes to fix it on the horror in front of them, Audrey shut her eyes tightly when she saw the facehuggers jump up to muffle their screams.

With Darren taking over it was clear that he did not show leniency nor compassion in the project unlike his brother. Now all that was left was to wait for the birth of the young xenos and all she could do for them now was to keep them unconscious till death took them.


	21. Settling down

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 21**

Settling down

The room given to the oomans was relatively close to the medical bay, it was in fact only two levels up and was but a short walk. On entering the room Sorus could tell that K'rve had put much consideration in its setup. Assessing the room as he slowly walked toward the bed, he nodded inwardly at the arrangement. The room had two sets of sleeping furs and was large enough for both to sleep comfortably while the end of the room also showed that they had a private shower area.

Shifting his forearm slightly, he looked down at the female in his arms as her head turned to face him with the mask lightly pressing against his chest. He slowly lowered her down on one side of the bed while Tofvi put Andree on the other side. Placing the backpacks on the ground he glanced up at the healer. _"Are the devices working now? Can their masks be removed?" _

Tilting his head to face Sorus before glancing at both oomans, Tofvi clicked lightly and shook his head._"I advise that the masks be left on for now after they wake and remove the masks we will be able to tell if the device works effectively in converting and supplying them their air."_ Then turning to head out the door the healer looked back at his senior and enquired, _"I will return to check on them when they wake but just in case they are up before I return will you or any other hunter be present?"_

Tapping upper mandibles in thought Sorus briefly looked down at the sleeping forms on the bed before returning his attention back to the healer. _"I will be here." _

"_Then you should know that they may have some difficulties with verbal communication for a while, they will be able to speak but the pain from the implant may make it a little difficult."_ Having informed the warrior on the prognosis following the implant he bowed slightly before leaving the room.

Reaching down the lower end of the bed he pulled a large fur blanket up to cover them before carrying a smaller version of the dining bench from the corner of the room over to the side of the bed. Looking down as both oomans slept soundly, completely oblivious to their surroundings, his thoughts drifted back to the way Tofvi had glanced back at Cora in disdain and it made him wonder if the senior healer might make her training more difficult. It was the norm in yautja culture to fight and jostle up to a higher rank in harsh conditions but given Cora's quiet personality he wasn't sure how well she would cope.

More than a little concerned for her well-being he did not want her to be unhappy. In wanting her companionship he knew it meant that he would need to court her to be his mate, however, as it were she was far from considering such things and he did not even know if she already had a mate. Seasonal mates were common in their culture but he would not consider her as such. Being the only one that was able to give him comfort of heart and mind if she willing to be his mate he would have her as his only mate.

Removing his mask he leaned over slightly to study her features while moving a clawed hand to gently stroked the back of her hand as if to study the texture. It wasn't the first time he touched a female ooman, except every other time meant the skinning of his prey. This time however was different. With an emotional attachment that only seemed to be growing he was almost a little nervous in making such physical contact despite her unconscious state.

Pondering the current situation as he continued stroking her hand, he knew that even with both of them training in their respective areas the elders would no doubt arrange time to locate the missing hard meat. Also, depending on how quickly the information on the mini computer was ciphered it would then determine how long they were going to stay. Kal'fa had been right in saying that with the ooman's assistance the search would be shortened, still, it could be a long while before any useful information was found.

Conscious of the fact that getting information sooner warranted the cause for his worries of this female returning to her race, it was something he wasn't looking forward to and did not want. Closing his eyes Sorus let his thoughts drift to stories of past warriors who had also claim other species as their mates. Though these cases were rare it was not unheard of and having hunted oomans for years, he never thought he would develop feelings for one. They were an interesting species with high intelligence and selecting a good soft meat prey was not always easy.

Focusing on the present, he slowly opened his eyes and rested his gaze on her. Long ago he thought the physical makeup of oomans to be strange as they were similar yet so different, the oomans who encountered the yautja probably thought the same too. Knowing this he knew that she'd probably never consider him to be her mate, however the fact remained that if her spirit was able to somehow touch his then it should not be impossible for his to touch hers.

Shifting slightly in his seat, he glanced from Cora to Andree. Though neither of them had shown it, it was clear that they were both still a little fearful in their present situation. Before courting Cora he would need to ensure that they both got settled in first and he was glad that besides himself the elders as well as some of the younger hunters they made friends with would provide that support.

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The first sensation that came to her was the feel of furs over and under her. The pain in her neck came soon after and opening her eyes, Cora saw that her mask was still on. _Had the implant failed? _A slight fear began to rise with the feel of the alien surroundings, sensing another being on her right she turned her head slightly to see Andree still sleeping. Seeing her friend beside her had somewhat calmed her but did not take away the anxiety she felt from being in an unknown environment.

Gradually pushing to sit up she tired to focus on the being sitting beside the bed but instead felt the room spin around her. Washed over with giddiness and heavy pounding in her head she brought one hand to the side of her head before feeling her body start to drop back toward the unfamiliar softness behind her.

Hearing a change in Cora's breathing Sorus looked down at her. It was just over an hour after the procedure and she should still be resting for another hour. He watched as she slowly sat up then hold a hand to her head indicating that she was still dizzy. Seeing her fall back to the bed he shot forward quickly to prevent a rough landing. Supporting her head with one hand and her back with the other he carefully lay her back down on the bed.

Sliding both hands out from under her, he took one of her hands in his clawed hand and squeezed it gently. "Cora, can you hear me?" Seeing her tilt her head to face him while raising her free hand up to her throat, he addressed her concern. "Pain in your throat will gradually subside...rest now, you are still tired from the drugs." In response he felt her soft hand lightly squeezed his before she nodded off again. Gently rubbing the back of her hand with a clawed thumb he wondered why she got up so suddenly. Whatever the reason the healer would need to know when he returned to check on them later.

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Seeing Tofvi and Kal'fa enter close to the two hour mark Sorus walked over and updated them on Cora's brief awakening. Both the oomans were still asleep but their breathing indicated that they were now sleeping lightly and would wake soon. The trio stood in the room waiting in relative silence and, sure enough, within the next few moments Andree started to stir followed closely by Cora.

Knowing that it would still be too painful to speak Sorus turned to Tofvi, _"Can you give them something to ease the pain in the throat?"_

Nodding he produced two syringes with the same liquid the yautja used for pain except these were in much smaller syringes. _"Yes, I anticipated the pain would prevent them from talking. The drug will ease the pain and allow them to talk, however they should still refain from talking too much to allow the wounds to heal faster." _Then looking at the elder he added, _"Despite not being able to talk much they will still be able to commence their training tomorrow." _

Before either got up Tofvi injected both of them with the pain killers then stood back as they slowly got up. This time with the absence of dizziness both sat up steadily and was directed by Tofvi to remain seated where they were. It was time to take the mask off and test the device. As Tofvi put on a special mask to make detailed scans of their respiratory system as well as conduct a thorough check up to ensure they were in good health, Sorus relayed all of Tofvi's instructions and watched over them as the masks were removed. With the healer still checking up on their other functions Sorus grabbed his mask and changed his vision to scan their lungs as well. With all appearing to be fine he turned to nod at Tofvi as he finished his scan as well.

Prior to leaving, Tofvi faced Cora and clicked lightly at Sorus. "Cora, Tofvi is the senior healer on board and has asked you to meet him tomorrow in the medical bay after having your meal, both he and Hrael will train you as a healer."

Groaning slightly at the subsiding pain Cora looked from Sorus to Tofvi. "Alright..." Her voice was still a little raspy and it was good to have the pain numbed. Nodding at Tofvi, she watched as he nodded back before heading out to return to his other duties.

Walking up to the bed Kal'fa crouched down slightly glancing first at Andree before fixing his gaze on both of them. "We will take you both around ship if you not dizzy or tired."

Hearing this Andree and Cora turned to face each other, excitement and anticipation written on their expression. Finally they would have a good look around the massive training ship. Being intrigued with their new surroundings after arriving they were keen on learning more about the environment they would be dwelling in till the missing xenos were found.

Jumping out of bed first Andree looked at the two towering yautja grinning widely, "That would be great!"

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All focus in life was lost when Darren had first learnt of Ethan's death. They had been close ever since they very young and had always looked out for one another especially after the passing of their parents a decade ago. In learning of Ethan's plan to control the xenomorphs he had disagreed with it from the beginning feeling that his brother was too ambitious. After watching the security footage of his brother being killed in cold blood had however changed his perception of the project he once deemed as a fruitless and dangerous pursuit.

The rising of anger deep within when watching the monstrosity remove both skull and spine had allowed Ethan's death to give birth to his new purpose in life. Landing on Bolva almost after a week after the incident, he slowly walked down the bright sunlit corridors of the upper level with four armed guards. The shut down of power and the humid environment had informed his olfactory senses of the rotting body long before he stepped into the room. Moving to the end of the room to knee beside the headless body on the ground, he gently rested his hand on one shoulder. "I promise...nothing will stop me from avenging you."

Standing slowly with his gaze still on his brother, he glanced back at the men behind him. "Take his body back to the ship then destroy this site." Walking back toward the ship with a will of steel he silently swore that the brutality shown his brother would be returned ten fold.

Now the sole heir to the family's wealth and head of his family's business he would use all his resources to ensure success. Ever since the commencement of the project Ethan was always careful about the lives of humans with the research and experimental control of the xenomorphs. However his current mental state had driven him close to madness giving way to the prompt disregard of all precaution in the care and protection of the lives of others. The first directions had been given to Audrey the day he learnt of his loss and now all that was left was to await for the five young to emerge before other plans could be made.


	22. First signs of understanding

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 22**

First signs of understanding

Walking out of the room, the elder showed them how to lock their room using the access panel by the door before showing them around. The huge vessel had all the common areas smaller ships had but were significantly larger, it could house over eighty hunters and had multiple decks to accommodate higher ranking hunters as well as a docking bay that could hold ten smaller hunting ships. Being a training ship for hunters who were already blooded, it was the mothership for this clan and had been built with a medical bay along with a special deck on the top level that accommodated female yautja during mating season.

After covering most of the common areas, Andree paused outside the entrance of the _kehrite_when they passed it and stared in at the huge crowd. Turning sharply when feeling a massive clawed hand rest on her shoulder, she looked up at Kal'fa to see his calm gaze on her.

Clicking upper mandibles lightly, he smiled inwardly at seeing her observe the training yautja. "After eating tonight if you have energy I will teach you basic attack moves yautja use." Having been impressed by Andree, the very thought of her in training and fighting was enough to warm his blood and excite him.

Smirking at the towering being before her Andree crossed her arms over her chest. "Basic? Do I look that weak to you? Why not spar with me first then you can decide what level of skilled moves you can teach me?"

Kal'fa tapped his upper mandibles while looking at her thoughtfully, though her voice was still soft and weak the challenge she posed was undeniable. "Alright." The keen interest Andree showed was surely a good sign and this was perhaps the open opportunity he had been looking forward to in sparring with her.

Continuing to look into the _kehrite _Andree watched the nine foot yautja on the raised platform addressing the group while looking in their direction. Despite being unable to comprehend the clicking sounds, it was clear that the training had finished and all would soon leave the room vaccant. Glancing to her side at Kal'fa she smiled slightly. "Since everyone is going to be leaving soon can we spar now?"

Having rested enough she was eager to improve her skills at every given opportunity as with the yautja's advanced technology she did not know how soon the xenos would be found. With what time time she had it would have to be utilised well before their departure, after all when they parted with the clan she was sure that there would probably be no chance of returning.

Observing the scene Cora laughed at her friend's fierce desire and prodded her arm while Kal'fa and Sorus stood to the side watching them. "Can't wait to get into a fight?"

Grinning widely Andree glanced up to the side at Kal'fa with fire in her eyes before turning to face Cora. "Well if I'm going to fight anyway why wait? Besides my throat hurting won't affect my fighting."

In the time that they had known each other Cora knew that Andree had a love for worthy challenges. Though challenging the elder was in no way prudent she was aware that the greatest experience came from duelling the best and in this case it would at least serve as a good opportunity to hasten the learning their skills. Grinning widely at Andree's enthusiasm she gave a friendly yet challenging look. "Well, I'll bet that you're still going to be pinned whether you fight now or later so you might as well go ahead."

Andree nodded in acknowledgement. "I guess there's only one way to find out."

The two hunters beside them watched with interest at the strange verbal exchange but the uncommon silence from the training area soon made both yautja aware that the other young bloods were also looking in their direction with K'rve now slowly making his way toward them. While the young hunters observed the scene from a distance, the expressions in the sea of young faces showed a mixture of curiosity, wariness and disgust but none had made any comments due to their rank.

Walking up to the small group at the back of the _kehrite _K'rve had heard part of the conversation and was surprised that the warrior ooman was so keen on fighting an elder. She was obviously not aware of how challenging it was to face a well seasoned yautja and was not conscious of the fact that it could easily end with her death in such a match. However in the current circumstance fortune was with her as she was to face an opponent who had feelings for her and would probably prevent her getting injured or killed. Moving up to the group he approached Kal'fa, determined to learn more about the situation. _"She is newly blooded yet she wishes to fight with you? Why?"_

During their earlier discussions Kal'fa had failed to mention the intricate details pertaining to his experience and emotions that had ultimately led up to this moment. Listening with growing interest K'rve nodded as he saw the open opportunity in using this challenge to introduce the newly blooded oomans to the rest of the young bloods on board. _"Since she is so keen we will all witness her skills in her spar with you now."_

Turning to face Andree, Kal'fa pleasured the growing excitement rising within. Sparring with the blooded and young bloods had failed to bring the thrilling feel he once felt in challenges, this was due to the fact that most of the time he was fighting a fight he knew he would win.

In the current situation, fighting now or later did not matter to him as long as she was ready. Though he was certain that he could beat her, with the promise of Andree utilising skills that could surprise him and were unexpectedly effective against him, he looked forward to what would surely be a learning experience for both him and the others.

Turning slight, K'rve looked down at Andree and studied her briefly. This ooman warrior appeared to be of a tender age but carried herself well and was confident in her skills, showing no signs of fear. Observing her every movement as she bowed before him he raised her chin up gently with a clawed hand and brought her face up to meet his inquisitive gaze. Nodding slightly before lowering his hand he could only surmise that her being high-spirited and seemingly unafraid demeanor was perhaps the reason why his brother favored her. "You fight now...no weapons. First on ground lose."

Turning to head back to the stage, K'rve was a little surprised when Andree quickly stepped in front of him before bowing low. Though not offended by her actions he would need to ensure that she soon learnt not to step in front of a senior hunter unless she wanted to challenge them. Tilting his head he clicked lightly at her. "Speak young one."

Though it was a little unnerving in the current situation, she plucked up the courage and stood tall to face the elder. "Can I request that the fight lasts for three rounds?"

Hearing this K'rve grunted at her, it was an unusual request but it was not unreasonable. Though it was not their custom he was well aware that oomans usually determined a winner after a three round match. Looking down at her, he nodded curtly before leading the four toward the raised stage. He had purely intended to use this challenge as a way of introducing them to the others but with the fight being extended to three rounds he could only hope she did not perform too poorly as it would no doubt be her undoing when training alongside the other young bloods. Walking toward the stage he tapped his left upper mandible in approval when hearing the excited chattering from the crowd. It was a good sign to hear the young hunters clicking in anticipation, if Andree was not knocked out in the first round then she could perhaps show more of her skills which might make it easier to be accepted by the young hunters.

Though excited about the fight Kal'fa did not have the intention of hurting Andree. Briefly looking down at the female walking beside him, he suddenly felt a strange sense of worry rise from deep within. Unconsciously slowing his pace he became aware of the growing coldness in his hands, confirming the anxiety of hurting this young blood unintentionally! Realising that K'rve was right on his infatuation for this female ooman, feelings of excited anticipation intertwined with nervousness caused his heart rate to quicken as they neared the platform. Though she was a skilled fighter in her race, with this being her first match on board he would have to be careful how he fought later as he was nothing like the smaller oomans she fought.

On reaching the stage the elders and Andree got up with Kal'fa positioning himself on one end while Andree was directed by the leader to the opposite end. Facing the crowd K'rve stated the rules of the fight, _"This will be a hand to hand combat that will last for three rounds. Whoever is tackled to the ground twice will lose the challenge."_

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Standing at one corner below the stage Sorus gently grabbed Cora's arm and moved her in front of him. Seeing her look up in surprise he rested his clawed hand on her shoulder. "Young bloods can be aggressive when watching fights, it is better if you stay away from them."

Smiling slightly, she nodded. "Thanks Sorus." Turning her attention back to the stage Cora silently reflected on the situation as she listened to K'rve addressing the crowd. When they first met Sorus, despite his protecting of her from the xeno, it had clearly shown that his race was one that was filled with violence. Moreover, the human skull in his net had proven that humans were prey to them yet now standing closely behind was the very same hunter showing such a strange protective behavior over her. Least to say she found it puzzling to have a predator defend a prey, however if he was keen on building a rapport then this was perhaps a golden opportunity for her to learn about their medicines as well as understand more about their race if she could befriend both him and his kind.

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All the young bloods went wild as soon as K'rve stepped off the stage. Ignoring the commotion below, Kal'fa slowly crouched into a fighting position and watched as his opponent also moved into a fighting stance. Unlike the unblooded and some young bloods who charged forward blindly, they slowly circled each other while gradually closing the distance. As soon as he came into range Kal'fa moved forward and took a swipe at her shoulder in an attempt to push her to the ground but Andree quickly rolled out of the way and got up again. On getting up she leapt lightly to the side and landed a hard kick to the side of his knee sending him to a half kneeling position. Before she could move behind, Kal'fa grabbed her shoulder on the same side he was kneeling on and used his superior size and strength to force her to the ground.

With thunderous roars erupting from the floor as the elder won the first round, Kal'fa released Andree and moved back to the end of the stage to get ready for the second round. When she got to her end he charged forward this time, in turn she also charged head on and as soon as the distance closed between them Andree feigned a move to the left but dashed to the right at the last instant. Matching her move he swiped low as she tried to bound away and caught one of her ankles. On reeling her in Andree thrust her free foot forcefully into the side of his hip forcing him to step back and loose his grip on her. Moving quickly before she got back on her feet he grabbed her neck and lifted her up but did not choke her.

With Kal'fa holding her in the air, Andree quickly grabbed his wrist tightly using her hands and swung her body forward to wrap her legs around his entire arm. Using the momentum of the swing as well as twisting her body at the same time she flipped the surprised yautja to the ground using his own body weight against him.

Surprised clicking, growling and a few cheering roars could be heard in the room as Andree unwrapped herself from him and stood up. Instead of going to her end of the stage for the third round she stood there as Kal'fa got up. The move that she executed would normally have broken the humerus or at least resulted in a dislocated shoulder however he was much bigger and stronger and she didn't know whether it had injured him. Seeing Kal'fa turn to face her after standing, she looked at his shoulder before taking a step forward. "If your shoulder is hurt we don't have to continue to the third round."

Snorting, Kal'fa shook his head. "We continue." Turning he walked to his end as she did the same.

On the start of the third round he moved forward slowly in a crouched position with both arms spread out. He watched as Andree used her agility to move to his side to land a blow on the same knee she'd injured earlier only to have him swiped at her knee when she came within range. Seeing her knee gave way, he was amazed to see her use the momentum of the fall to twist in midair while using her hands to propel herself backward away from him as she flipped to a standing position.

With her stumbling back a little on landing Kal'fa took the opportunity to move in swiftly. Grabbing one of her arms he twisted it just enough to turn her around before using his other hand to hold her by the back of her neck and pushed her to the ground. It would have been much easier to knock her down using a punch or throwing in a kick but he could not bear the thought of injuring her badly and had instead chose to close the distance to restrict her movements before bringing her down. At least in restraining her he could control the amount of force applied when he pinned her down and this had avoided causing her any physical damage.

With all the yautja roaring in unison at the end of the fight, Kal'fa released Andree and they both stood up to face K'rve as he stepped on the stage. Passing the two, K'rve nodded briefly at Andree before turning to face the crowd. _"This ooman is Andree, you have all seen her skills and know that she is one that is worthy. She has been blooded as a hunter and will train with all of you starting tomorrow."_

Glancing briefly at the ooman healer before Sorus he pointed over to her. _"The other ooman is Cora, she has been specially blooded as a pure healer on board and is not to be challenged to any physical fights."_

Hearing this questioning clicks and low growls could be heard echoing throughout the room. How could one be blooded at all if they were not a warrior?

Feeling the tension in the room grow, Andree looked up to Kal'fa for an explanation. "They not happy that Cora is blooded as healer as they cannot challenge her to fights."

The blooded and young bloods that knew the oomans from the hunt started to argue with the rest in defence of the courage and honor Cora had shown them. Seeing the rapidly rising aggression in the room K'rve roared for silence before the situation got out of hand. _"No one is to question an elder's decision, this ooman has shown much courage and honor in the hunt and has well-deserved her mark. Honor is not necessarily witnessed only in hunting of trophies it lies in acting well on your part be you a healer or hunter."_

Dismissing the hunters after the tension had somewhat dissipated, he returned his watchful gaze to Cora as the the crowd walked out the room. While on the stage he had noticed how protective Sorus was over the female ooman in front of him even before the young bloods' uproar. Being a senior hunter, he should be aware that fights were not permitted off stage and thus had no real need to guard the healer so closely.

Tapping his right upper mandible he observed Cora as she stood calmly by the towering hunter, undisturbed by the aggression clearly directed at her by the passing young bloods on their way out. Though it was not typical for any hunter to standby another in training sessions Cora was after all new on the vessel and that had probably brought on the curious reaction from Sorus. If it helped her settle with some sort of support and if this warrior was willing to provide it then perhaps he could overlook such behavior.

Breathing in deeply he wondered what other events would follow with the oomans joining the clan. Sighing K'rve moved to the end of the stage and jumped off. Being a leader bore great responsibility over everything that occurred in the clan and with these two new arrivals he would need to keep a close eye on them till they had formed some sort of positive rapport with most of the yautja on board.


	23. Gaining insight to the inner being

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 23**

Gaining insight to the inner being

After the crowd dispersed Andree immediately jumped down the platform and ran over to Cora, moving closer, she recognised the small group of young bloods around her friend as the few who were with them on the smaller hunting ship. Coming up to the small group Andree threw a playful punch at Cora's shoulder. "I hope you were entertained by that!"

Cora smiled widely at her. "Well, I guess you didn't have to come first to win...." Seeing the yautja around her look at each other in confusion at this statement she chuckled softly. As she started to explain her reasoning to them she became aware that the elders standing nearby had also heard this and were now walking over purposefully to listen in on what she was going to say. "Elder Kal'fa won the fight but Andree got what she wanted from the fight as well, with the match lasting three rounds Andree was able to gain more experience from the extended fight."

With all heads turning slightly to face the warrior ooman, Andree grinned and nodded in confirmation. "That's right, I knew that I would lose anyway but three rounds made it a satisfying challenge and at the same time allowed me to sample a fight against your race."

Walking up to stand behind Andree, Kal'fa lightly rested his clawed hand on her shoulder. "Challenging a yautja who experienced thousands of hunts and still able to win one round against me shows that you have done well in this challenge. Your skills are exceptional for your race and your fighting style shows....adaptability, this is something that is very rare....but you still have much room for improvement."

Looking down at Andree, he couldn't help but feel attracted to her in a peculiar way. Never before did he have any emotional attachments to females, as it were in their race, it was just natural for the females to choose the strongest warriors and for the males to focus on continuing their bloodline. Yet here was a female from another race who was able to catch his attention through her fighting spirit. Despite knowing that her skills were still well below his own it somehow didn't seem to bother him.

Tapping upper mandibles in thought while listening to Andree talk to the young bloods, he reflected on his feelings and the events over the past days. Being the weaker gender of her race Andree had shown she was better than the ooman males, moreover aboard the small hunting vessel the young bloods had no doubt seen her warrior spirit and were keen on getting to know her better in learning the ooman language. Perhaps he too had been drawn in by her warrior spirit. After all, all the oomans he had ever challenged never showed such spirit despite being worthy challenges.

None of the females whom he had mated with ever got his attention like Andree and whatsmore she had caught his heart unintentionally. Though he was aware that few yautja ever found a lifemate he was fairly certain that she, being able to rouse his emotions, would probably be the one for him. Even with this attraction he was still a little doubtful as it somehow seemed impossible for such feelings to develop in such short time. Whatever the case, he would need to sort out these emotions while training her in private.

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Noting D'fal and Ge'tur at the back of the training room watching her at a distance, Cora slowly made her way behind the group and walked over to them. She wasn't sure if they wanted to ask her something about the massage technique explained to them a half day back but it would be good to maintain the friendship with as many hunters as she could during their stay here.

Bowing slightly, she stood before both hunters as they nodded at her. "Why don't both of you come over to the group?"

Tilting his head downward at her, D'fal clicked softly. "Comfortable here...good to observe group from distance. Your stay here...good?"

Chuckling lightly at the choppy sentence Cora nodded. "It will take a while to settle in but so far it has been alright."

D'fal glanced at Ge'tur with a look that showed concern before returning his gaze to Cora. "You stay close to older hunters...some young bloods make bad company...they not happy you same rank but no fight them."

Smiling at both the yautja she nodded, she wasn't sure why these hunters looked out for her but it at least gave her reassurance that at least some of yautja would make good company during their common break times. Still smiling slightly she glanced from one hunter to the next, finding it fascinating to see the yautja's facial expression as it relayed much more of their emotions in comparison to just listening to them talk while faced with the coldness of the mask.

Ge'tur observing her from a few steps away sighed inwardly. This ooman did not seem to understand the seriousness of the situation she was in despite D'fal trying his best to explain the possible danger she could face from the less tolerant young bloods. Stepping closer he leaned down to face her eye to eye. "Cora, you....soft natured need to be careful on ship."

Though this ooman healer had not commenced her training yet she had already saved his life when he was badly injured on the hunt. He did not like owing favors and for now the least he could do was to give her warning in advance and provide what support he could if she was faced with the few young hunters who seem to have developed a strong dislike to both of them.

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Glancing at the end of the room where her friend stood with the two blooded hunters, Andree turned slightly to face Kal'fa while recalling what he had said about the outraged young hunters being unable to challenge Cora. "I understand that Cora will not be part taking in physical fights but I think you should be glad that you won't be fighting Cora."

Puzzled by this K'rve turned to look at Andree. _Was Cora a better fighter than Andree or perhaps she was a fighter but just chose not to fight?_From what Kal'fa had told him he knew that she wasn't a fighter at all but this statement from Andree had clearly shown that the ooman healer was a greater challenge than herself. Either way he would clarify the situation now. If Cora was indeed able to fight then she would need to accept challenges and physical training just like the other young bloods. "Is Cora fighter?"

Andree turned slightly to face K'rve with wide eyes before bursting into uncontrollable laughter. All the yautja standing there looked at her in bewilderment while glancing at one another to see if any in the group had understood her reaction to such a serious question. Regaining her composure she stood up tall and looked at all of them with an odd smile. "Cora is **not** a fighter, she has such a gentle nature she wouldn't hurt a soul......however in the place where she works Cora is occasionally forced to challenge the intellect of other people and has rarely lost." Glancing at the elders, Andree stretched slightly before continuing. "IF she ever challenges you to anything be prepared to lose because Cora never proposes a challenge without first ensuring her victory."

While listening to Andree, Sorus kept close watch over Cora but briefly turned his attention to K'rve when the subject had turned to the ooman healer. "Yes...during the fight with the queen hard meat Cora came up with the strategy to defeat her."

K'rve clicked his mandibles in thought at this information. Andree was a skilled fighter who utilised her abilities well whereas Cora was good at problem solving. Tapping his left lower mandible slowly he looked behind at ooman healer before turning back to Andree. "We learn ooman language and challenge Cora." Ooman trophies brought much honor to warriors because of their intelligence as well as their ability to fight despite being physically weaker. Blooding these two females had indeed been a good move and would show all those with little or no experience of the oomans to respect their soft meat prey when time came for them to hunt this race.

Hearing this Andree smiled and looked down, shaking her head slightly. "Cora respects all living things and won't accept challenges unnecessarily. She only does it at work to help save the lives of animals....and occasionally with me in debates, if you challenge her she will most likely let you win. I suggest you let Cora bring up debates or challenges on her own, which she might do when she becomes comfortable with the company of the clan, then it will be a fair challenge."

Considering this for a long while K'rve nodded. There was no point trying to force it if an opponent was already prepared to lose, besides, patience in waiting for her to raise the challenge on her own accord would make the final outcome more satisfying. It would be good for their clan to learn how the oomans used their intelligence in something as simple as a debate but in the mean time he would need to encourage the hunters to learn their language. First hand experience, especially for all the young bloods, to gain insight on the thought processes of the oomans would no doubt be beneficial and allow many to survive for longer as well as bring much honor to the clan as a whole.

Not one to let such good opportunity slip by, he would let the oomans assist in the search for the hard meat only after the late meal. With the limited time for the search it would at least stall them in staying with the clan for longer and allow all on board to benefit from this rare encounter. There was no doubt that the hard meat would eventually be found and dealt with but for the time being as leader of this great clan he would utilise the skills of these two new additions to further the clan's standing.

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Still listening in on the conversation, Sorus felt a slight pang of jealousy as he watched the healer ooman from a distance laughing and enjoying the company of two blooded hunters at the other end of the room. Unlike Andree whom he would be able to meet on a regular basis during her training, Cora would be training under the healers giving him no access to her until she was done training for the day.

Clicking softly in frustration he decided that during the her stay here he would temporarily help with training aboard the ship instead of going on hunts with the young bloods. At least with this arrangement he could perhaps spend more time with Cora during meals and after her training. Still, even with making this decision he would first have to discuss it with the leader. Turning to the elder he was surprised to see K'rve looking intently at him.

When all had finally walked out the _kehrite _to the eating hall, K'rve stayed behind with the elite warrior. _"Sorus have you come to a decision yet?" _Listening as Sorus told him of his decision to stay training the young hunters temporarily he sighed deeply. He had noticed how the warrior was observing the female even from a distance furthermore the musk he gave out, though light, was unmistakable.

"_Sorus have you decided to stay because of Cora?"_If courtship was the warrior's true intention then he would stop wasting his time in trying to convince Sorus to stay as a permanent trainer. Seeing the warrior a little stunned by his question, he listened patiently as the younger hunter explained his reason for docking with the ship up to the discovery of what he was seeking when he met Cora.

Looking at the warrior before him, K'rve was deeply impressed that Sorus had discovered and acknowledged his feelings so quickly. Yautja had much pride in themselves and seldom accepted this sort of emotion. Moreover, as majority of the relationships with yautja females were solely meant for bearing offspring no attachments were ever involved hence it was difficult to recognise or acknowledge such feelings. That was the norm of their culture, to carry on the bloodline, however he knew the meaning and rarity of yautja finding a lifemate.

The discovering of a lifemate was something of immense significance that no trophy in the warrior's life could measure up to. To find a kindred soul in the yautja species alone was like finding a needle in a haystack and for Sorus to have found his other half in the vastness of the galaxy was a rarity that none could compare with. Even though Cora was ooman it did not matter as such a bond was in the attraction of the spirit and soul, and not the physical appearance.

Hunting and having a mate or mates were the two areas a yautja male focused on, and though understanding the weight of the situation of the yautja before him he would have to make clear their customs to minimise the possible heartbreak if all did not go well. _"I understand how important this must mean to you but you must respect Cora's decision if she wants to return to her own kind when the hard meat are found."_Seeing Sorus nod the elder looked at the entrance of the training room as a few young bloods passed by. _"I am sure that you are well aware that other males will have the right to court her as well, and she being of age and a blooded female is also allowed the same though I doubt the latter to be the problem."_

With an upset expression clearly showing on the warrior's face K'rve rested his hand on Sorus' shoulder. _"As you will be training the young bloods temporarily and are not officially a trainer yet you will have less duties......I cannot interfere with any male courting her no matter their rank but I will try to assign you less duties so you can spend more time with her."_

With the way things were developing on the ship K'rve had a feeling the near future was going to be very eventful. Turning to walk out the training room he glanced at the seasoned hunter beside him and chuckled inwardly at the thought of both females catching the attention of the two most senior warriors under him. Still he was silently amazed that both Andree and Cora had already built rapport with some of the yautja, this would at least allowed him to cast away his initial concern of them settling in.

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Darkness had completely enveloped Darren with the burning of his brother's body. Knowing that the creatures that had killed Ethan were known as predators he would make careful plans to draw these devils to him. Ethan's research had shown that these beasts were drawn to hunt the xenomorphs and if that was the case then his web would be weaved using the xenos in the capture as well as annihilation of this species.

Reports he'd received a moment ago had shown that none of the eggs held a queen or praetorian but this did not deter him in the least. Staring at the woman on the screen in front of him, he could tell that the head scientist was fearful of him and at the same time frustrated at the situation. "Audrey, it does not concern me that the project does not contain a queen, with the five drones you have I want you to find a way to either clone more of them or make them produce more of their kind."

Shifting nervously at the other end of the connection Audrey frowned at this order. "Darren, please try to be reasonable, these xenomorphs have acid for blood how then can it be possible to clone them if I can't even take a DNA blood sample from them?" Though she was initially glad that Darren had made her in-charge of the entire project it now seemed that she would be only a puppet in his hands with completely no say in the way the project operated.

Rising slowly from his seat, Darren sneered at the cowering figure. "It would indeed be a true test for you as the head scientist to then work the miracle of making more drones without a queen. I will continue to provide potential hosts every month and I don't care how you do it but I want results before a half year has passed." Turning slightly before breaking the connection he added with little emotion, "To keep these xenos alive I only want them fed the carcass of animals, if I learn that any live animal is set loose in their cages as food and gets impregnant I will have your head."

Walking from the communication deck back to the office he would now have to prepare for the upcoming meetings in the purchase of several more planets. Through the years he had learnt that it was always good to have more than less, and in his plans to capture these predators it would be only wise to be well prepared in selecting the most suitable planet for the trap before results from the experimentation of the xenos came back. Though he had a feeling that the chances of success in Audrey's project would be slim he knew there was always more than one solution to any problem.

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**_My sincere apologies to all readers for this messy chapter. I had to include all the main characters to give a brief overview of their thoughts before the continuation of the story as from the next chapter onward the story will be moving along much faster. _**


	24. Reflection of emotions

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predators**

**Part 2: Bonds**

**Chapter 24**

Reflection of emotions

It had been just over three months since their arrival. During that time, Andree had made steady progress in her fighting skills and was now hardly ever beaten by any of the young bloods. She credited this to Kal'fa for training her every night just before or after meals. The elder had been patient in his teachings and had taught her how to utilise and maximise her ability to adapt her skills to their training techniques.

Having trained under various martial arts teachers, she had a strange feeling that the relationship between Kal'fa and herself was somehow different from the master student bond she was so familiar with. It was only after the first month of her training that she became aware of this fact and it had been on her mind ever since. At times after their private training the elder would sit by her in silence and listen as she openly discussed and shared her thoughts of training on the yautja ship as well as talked about how she felt about returning to her own world. She felt content with him just listening to her and appreciated the fact that he never drilled in his opinion like he did when training the group. Though when talking about problems she faced in living with her race he did give his advise but only when she'd asked for it.

Having been in several relationships in the past, she almost certain that Kal'fa's relationship with her was more than just teacher and student. She was also confident that it had developed above a regular friendship but wasn't sure if she was drawn to him on the level of being a couple. The thought was most absurd. The elder was a different species and had a rank far above hers. In the past months she had continuously tried to convince herself that Kal'fa spending his time with her was solely due to keeping her from being lonely as she did not have Cora's company till night but even then she could not help thinking otherwise.

Much of her life now had fallen into a routine of vigorous training, the occasional hunt on different planets and using of their advanced technology in the search for the missing eggs after the late meal. When they searched for the hard meat eggs, she was always with the elders while Cora occasionally joined them with Sorus. Andree couldn't complain about her lifestyle though, there was always the excitement of the unexpected when fighting an opponent as well as the thrill found in the hunts.

During meal times it was initially unnerving to sit with all the yautja who were much bigger than her and Cora, however, with the support of the higher ranking hunters many soon became their friends. She was thankful that this was the case as after the first two months Cora was almost never present during any of their meal times. Despite the strange alien environment, she was glad that with settling in well, it did not discourage her from continuous interaction with the younger yautja who were now picking up the English language fast and were keen to communicate with her.

Now sitting in the dining area having her meal with the elders and Sorus, they were once again talking about the missing xenos. With the countless times that she and Cora had gone through the multitude of data on the mini computer the only useful information they had gotten so far were the names of five planets. However, the search had once again come to a stand still as neither of them had been able to find any details pertaining to the location of planets. Cora had suggested landing on a human populated planet to search the database but after careful thought she had disagreed with her friend saying that the data system they searched might not have the information needed and would be a waste of time. Had the plan gone ahead there was but a slim chance of success in gaining information and it would surely have driven the training young bloods close to insanity if such frequent stops were made for the pure purpose of seeking for information in place of the hunts.

Seeing Andree lost in her thoughts Kal'fa clicked lightly at her. "After training tonight we will continue our search again."

Turning to the elder she nodded. "It has been so long since they got the eggs and I'm certain they have all hatched...all I hope for now is that they don't have a queen with them."

Kal'fa gently stroked her knee with a clawed hand under the table to reassured her. "We have already anticipated that the search would have lasted a long while and know that the hard meat would have hatched when we finally find it. Do not worry we have hunted in many nests before and we will deal with this situation when we face it."

Still looking over at Andree, he couldn't get over the inner turmoil he had put himself through during her first weeks with them. He had tried to reason with himself that being an elder and second in charge he was only drawn to her unique skills. However, after the first week, when Andree started to talk to him about her personal feelings of being aboard the yautja ship he found that he couldn't resist being attracted to her in more ways than one. She had the heart of a warrior as well as a strong spirit, he knew from their talks that like himself, ever since she trained at a tender age Andree always had the desire to strive and improve herself further. Even in their group training sessions she never gave up no matter how many times she initially failed or was made fun at by some of the young bloods. Despite being badly bruised and battered on many occasions she did not only continue to push forward but trained much harder to ensure the same mistakes would not be made again.

Over time, he had grown to love her warrior spirit and, despite her young age, found her inner being was every bit as intricate as his own. Sorting out his thoughts after the first few weeks he could not deny that the bond he shared with Andree was completely different from his other mates. Regardless of his years of experience he found that he was able to comfortably share his views on various topics, and she being open and honest in her opinion had given him insight on how compatible they were with all the views they shared in common.

Being aware of his rank and duties on board he had to treat her as he would the other young bloods when training the group and was only able to show affection during their private training time in late in the day. When they sat down to rest after sparring he would sit close to her to listen to her concerns and would put an arm around her whenever she was upset or disturbed with something. Strangely enough he had found that in comforting her it had helped him feel at ease at the same time. In turn, whenever he voiced his concerns, he had come to enjoy her gentle touch when she held his hand in hers while softly stroking the back of his massive hand. It had started off with her, being curious on several occasions, holding his hand in hers while gently exploring the texture and caressing it at the same time which had later led to this gesture being used to provide both comfort and reassurance when he was unsettled.

Putting a clawed hand on her back, he moved to get up. "Shall we train now?" Seeing her rise, Kal'fa turned to lead the way as Andree bowed to K'rve and Sorus before turning to leave with him.

"Wait Andree." Sorus looked at Andree and Kal'fa as they both turned around. "Cora has not been coming down for meals recently. When does she eat?"

Looking at the senior hunter, Andree thought for a moment before replying. "Well...she has been rather busy on a recent project in the med bay and probably didn't want to lose focus so she might be having meals there or in here when everyone is resting. She sometimes misses meals when she's keen on finishing some of her training too." Seeing Sorus nod she turned to follow Kal'fa out the eating area.

Watching Kal'fa and Andree leave, he looked down at the table and sighed in silence when a tap on the shoulder from K'rve made him turn. _"Don't worry, you still have time, we have not found the missing hard meat yet and the recent updates from both Tofvi and Hrael have shown that Cora is indeed very busy."_

Clicking his mandibles in frustration Sorus shook his head._"No matter how busy she is the healers should not let her neglect her health."_

Laughing slightly the elder nodded in concurrence. _"Yes, I agree with you Sorus and so do both the healers."_

Hearing this Sorus looked at the elder in confusion. He had initially thought that the reason Cora stopped coming down to meals was because she wanted to avoid him. From their last conversation he had asked about the incident she had been involved in that changed her course of study but found that she was still uncomfortable talking about it. In building a stronger rapport she was at least willing to give a brief overview of the incident but had turned to walk away after she'd finished. This occurred over three weeks ago and since then he never saw her back in the dining area for meals.

He had wanted so badly to apologise for asking something that was so personal to her but never saw her after that conversation. Having asked Andree once about whether Cora was mad or upset with him, he was somewhat comforted by the fact that the female he was courting held no grudges against him. Still, it made him curious as to why she had cease coming down to eat. There was surely a reason other than her being busy with a simple project that would result in such a change in her behavior. Looking at K'rve, he hoped the elder's explanation of the ooman healer missing meals would somehow justify her absence. If even the two yautja healers were updating the leader to voice their concern it was clearly not a good sign.

Still smiling slightly at the worried warrior he explained, _"The reason Tofvi had to give me the recent update was because they both could find no way to stop Cora from overworking. They were also concerned about her health. Apparently she is working on making a new potion to help yautja in encountering issues such as poisons that eat into the nerves, bone, blood or muscles. Every since she found a way to make the solution she has been trying to perfect it." _After explaining this to Sorus, K'rve rose to leave. _"At least now you know when you might expect to see her and why she is absent from meals."_Glancing down at Sorus once more he hesitated a moment before adding, _"__Perhaps you can convince Cora to look after her well-being when you next see her."_

Leaving Sorus in his thoughts, the elder was glad he did not mention the fact that both healers had tried all sorts of punishments in an attempt to get Cora to rest. Reflecting on the disciplinary actions both Tofvi and Hrael had taken he laughed inwardly at the thought. Apparently Hrael had given her the huge workload of cleaning and maintaining all the med kits the warriors carried in the hope of making her exhausted and rest. Instead of the intended outcome, Cora had finished the tiresome task and spent the rest of her sleeping time in the med bay working!

With her disobeying strict orders to keep out of the med bays during sleeping hours Tofvi had in turn had punished Cora in making her to rearrange and reorganise most of the medical bay. Though it took the ooman healer two days she completed this task and even added labels to where everything was stored in their new location. Both healers tried everything and were just short of challenging her to a physical fight to knock her out in the process, unfortunately such was not allowed in her particular case. Being at a total loss they had both approached him to give an update of the situation in the hope that something more could be done.

After he had gotten the update, he had approached Andree to see if the young healer was getting an sleep. His concern not only laid with the ooman's health but the fact that she had gradually declined in attending the meetings in the search for the hard meat. According to Andree's report, she hardly saw her friend recently, she had always slept first and felt Cora come in much later and when she woke Cora was already gone. Having explained to Andree about what the healers had reported, he was a little surprise when she advised that the healers let Cora continue with her work. Apparently this ooman healer when focused on something would not stop working till she had completed it or could find no other solution to the problem.

Despite knowing that many clans in their race were still narrow minded in the acceptance of other sentient species in yautja clans, he was glad to have these oomans be a part of their clan. Many young bloods had observed and learnt how adaptable and agile ooman warriors were through Andree as well as learnt much of the ooman language through her. Cora on the other hand could help save the lives of many yautja with her skills. Both healers had initially been critical of the ooman when she trained under them but had later been impressed with her ability to observe and learn quickly after the first two weeks of her training. These two young bloods were each beneficial to the clan in their own way and had exceeded his expectations, and now only time would tell how far up they would each rise within the clan.

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_**As mentioned in the updated Chapter 1, I will be dividing the chapters of the story into three parts.**_

**_With the grouping of chapters in each section I hope it will make it clearer as to what will be expected in the chapters under each part. _**

**_I hope all you readers will continue to enjoy this story and please let me know your thoughts on the progression of the story. Though I have a guideline for the story feedback/reviews always help me in adding more details in particular sections of the upcoming chapters._**

**_Special thanks to all who have been reviewing the story, it has truly been encouraging and has motivated me in coming up with the chapters a little faster as well as improve the story._**


	25. Taking the first step forward

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 25**

Taking the first step forward

In the _kehrite _Andree had begun sparring with Kal'fa in their usual private training session. She jumped aside as he made a quick swipe at her from the front and landing at his side she slammed a foot down his ankle but quickly moved out of reach again as he tried to grab her leg. Cautiously backing away they circled each other again, each studying the other, trying to predict the next move.

Their first match had been in front of everyone and back then she didn't know what to expect but after weeks of training she'd come to realise that he took it rather easy on her the first time. Every private training that followed had shown her that she still had a long way to go. Despite her marked improvement against the young bloods and a few of the blooded she had been unable to win even once against the elder. Most of the time he could have easily pinned her down within the first half minute but had instead delayed his victory and allowed the fight to continue for longer before taking her down.

Though she understood that his victory was due to him being superior in skill and strength it was nonetheless frustrating at times. With the need to boost her self-esteem from the constant failure in private training, she had taken it out on the other young bloods during their training sessions in the day. Kal'fa had apparently noticed how she was venting her frustration and strangely enough he had seem to approve of it. During one of their recent chats he had revealed that this was the hunter's way in moving up in rank, it was only through the show of skill that allowed those in lower ranks to advance further.

Despite being keen on winning against the elder at least once, the fights against this towering hunter over the past week had not been going as well as she'd hoped. Even now as they sparred her heart was not in the fight. With her mind still dwelling and sorting out feelings for the yautja before her, she lost focus for a split second and stumbled back when he charged forward and took another swipe at her. Everything seemed move in slow motion as she felt herself loose her footing at the edge of the platform. Feeling her body fall backward she prepared for the rough landing on the ground below.

Watching her slip backward off the stage, Kal'fa leapt forward grabbing her outstretched hand and pulled her back onto the stage. "Are you hurt?" He had noticed that her head wasn't in the fight once again. Tilting his head slightly and looking down at her he rubbed her wrist with a clawed thumb in concern. Andree always spoke about her feelings and problems, and it concerned his somewhat that she never mentioned the thoughts that were disturbing her recently. Usually he would have let her reveal her emotions when she was ready to talk about it but if this was going to endanger her life in loosing her concentration during a match then this gave him reason enough to seek an answer.

Feeling the elder pull her back up and being in such close proximity all of a sudden brought the nervousness out of her. Taking a step back Andree glanced up briefly at Kal'fa before looking down at the ground. "N...no, I'm fine." She could feel herself blushing as he continued to keep his hold on her wrist before stepping closer.

Still looking at her, he rattled softly. "You lost concentration. Something troubling you?" Regaining her composure, Andree slowly tugged her wrist away from his grasp. "I was just thinking about something...but it's nothing serious. Shall we continue?"

Studying her for a while he leaned down slightly, still keen on finding out what was troubling her instead. "Maybe we should stop for now. Do you want to talk?" Feeling slight relief that Kal'fa had not pressed on talking about her specific concerns she quickly improvised. "I...was just thinking that after being here all this time I know very little of your culture and race." It wasn't exactly a lie but a half truth, if it was possible that she was drawn to this yautja then the lack of knowledge of his race was a concern as well.

Meeting her gaze he nodded. Despite knowing that this wasn't what troubled her he wouldn't press her any further. What mattered now was that in addressing this issue he had at least brought it to her attention and he hoped that would at least support in helping her make a conscious effort to maintain her performance in a match. Though in considering what she said, it would be beneficial for both her and Cora to learn more about their culture and race. Having gotten over the denial of being attracted to Andree, he had started to court her but in a way that differed from courting the usual seasonal yautja females. His affinity for Andree had enable him to acknowledge that he had finally found his lifemate.

Andree was truly unlike any of the females he had previously encountered. In the hunts she'd been on Andree always strived to prevail in all challenges she faced. But more importantly in the time they had spent alone together he had found her company unusually comforting, it wasn't the same sort of comfort he sorted with his close bond with other warriors or past mates. His bond with her was one that held comfort for his soul. She had all the qualities he seeked for in a lifemate and knowing that she was not attached to any other males prior their meeting was enough for him to make his move.

However, in being attracted to Andree it did not blind him to the fact that the younger elite hunter, Sorus, was also trying to court the other female ooman on board. During their training sessions in the day he had noticed that Sorus was a little more irritable whenever the ooman healer was absent in the common meal times and would occasionally let out his frustration in a match. He had been suspicious of the fact at first, thinking that Cora would not attract any attention as she was not a hunter, but with the lone warrior's occasional asking of her whereabouts the reason for his extended stay aboard soon became clear.

Thinking back to what Andree had mentioned, it would indeed be beneficial if both Andree and Cora learnt more about the yautja customs as well as culture in general. In knowing more about their race the oomans would no doubt feel more at ease in settling in a different culture as well as reduce any misunderstanding during courtship. Looking down at Andree, he nodded. "I will discuss this with K'rve tomorrow. Perhaps something can be arranged so you and Cora can learn more about our race." Jumping off the stage he turned to watch as she followed him out the training room.

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Following the hours of silence after the late meal, Sorus trained in the _kehrite _with two of the blooded hunters on board after Kal'fa and Andree had left. It wasn't unusual to train so late but to do so for three hours straight after a long day's training was tiring for both T'sde and D'fal. Letting both younger hunters return to their quarters, Sorus sat at one end of the slightly raised platform and started polishing a few short blades.

It had been a long while since he had last seen the ooman healer and now knowing when he could expect to meet her he would not delay in acting. Unlike the young bloods who could see her frequently when they got injured in weapons training he had no reason to enter the med bay. Having learnt of her dislike for violence, he initially thought treating the wounded from fight would have bothered her but was surprised when both her trainers stated otherwise. However, this was perhaps due to the incident she'd been involved in during her first weeks aboard.

He had witnessed the incident from a far when two young bloods taunted the female on her way back to the med bay after the late meal. Both hunters had first started with verbal aggression but had soon moved to being physical when one roughly shoved and pressed her against the wall in the corridor, daring her to fight him. He could still recall how he had let his fury out on the two at the sight of her being attacked and had beaten them to near death when he noticed Cora still standing a distance away staring in shock at the scene.

Till this day he believe that had she not been present he would have killed the two insolent pups but had instead spared their lives and turned to head to the training room to be alone after the incident. He had sat in the _kehrite _clenching his fists tightly while staring at the ground. The punishment laid out had been justified but the anger that rose had resulted in not knowing how Cora would respond and react toward him after witnessing the brutal disciplinary action. Despite wanting to comfort her, it somehow did not seem appropriate to approach her after taking the two young bloods down as the very look in her eyes showed uncertainty and fear from his actions. However, a short moment after he arrived in the _kehrite_, he felt relieved when she walked in and sat with him in silence before thanking him for looking out for her.

Putting down the last short blade he gathered all the weapons and placed it back into the small weapon storage compartment at the side wall of the room. It had been another three hours since both blooded hunters had left and during that time, between polishing weapons and honing his skills, he had occasionally walked along the corridors Cora used to get back to her room and the dining area. Walking back through the silence of the ship to the eating area for the second time in the last hour he finally spotted someone sitting at a table at the far end of the room. From the entrance he could tell it was the ooman he had been anxiously waiting to see for so long.

Making his way silently toward the small figure, he observed her posture as she rested her head on the table with an arm supporting underneath. On moving closer he frowned when he found her other arm tucked tightly against her abdomen as if in pain. She had not even stirred from her sleep when he was by her side. Not wanting to startle her too badly he gently placed his clawed hand on her shoulder and watched as she repositioned her head on her forearm without looking up. "Tofvi if you are here to ask me to return to my room to rest for the hundredth time today then forget it."

Realising that the senior healer had concerned himself with her well-being in pressing her to rest through the day, he took a deep breath to calm his nerves at the thought of a possible rival. Despite being appreciative of the healer looking out for her, he could not help but feel jealous that he was unable to show the same concerns in his position. Sitting down beside her, he squeezed her shoulder gently while calling out her name.

Hearing Sorus say her name, Cora jumped up from her seat and briefly stared at the yautja in silence before inclining her head down in respect to the higher ranking hunter. "I'm sorry I mistook you for another...I thought you were Tofvi." Looking to the table she added softly, "He has been trying to get me away from the medical bay at night..."

Clicking his lower mandibles Sorus nodded before gently grasping her shoulder to pull her back down to sit at arm's length beside him. "Are you in pain?" Cora raised her gaze to meet his with a questioning look. "What do you mean?" With all that the healers tried in getting her to rest in the recent weeks she had naturally assumed Sorus was now on her case but this out of the blue question got her stumped.

Tilting his head slightly at her Sorus continued, "You were clenching your stomach tightly when I walked over. Also, I have not seen you during the common meals for a while, have you eaten yet?" Looking away slightly Cora shook her head. "I'm not feeling that hungry yet and this pain has nothing to do with not eating."

Moving his hand from her shoulder to her waist he kept his gentle gaze on her. "You should not be feeling any pain if you are looking after yourself well." Sighing she smiled at his ignorant concern. "I'm not exactly in pain...I have these cramps once every month, it's part of the human female menstrual cycle. Besides, if I was hungry I would still be in the med bay as I always store some food there. I came in here to rest for a while because I can't stand the healers trying to get me out."

Sorus nodded in satisfaction knowing that she wasn't getting the pain from missing meals. "Why not rest in your room? Do you intend to go back to the med lab?" Hearing a ringing sound from a device on Cora's wrist he looked on as she switched it off and stood up. "I'm going to work a little more before I rest. And both Tofvi and Hrael should be out of the med bay now so I'm heading back." Before moving out of her seat completely she rested her hand on the large yautja's shoulder. "I did not expect to meet any of the senior hunters for a while but it's really great to see you."

Though concerned about her not getting much rest he did not want to use his authority as her elder to press her into resting. Ordering her against her wishes would only distance her from him and it was not what he wanted. Watching her move out of the seat, he quickly analysed the situation before she headed off. If he couldn't stop her then he could maybe spend time with her through this project and perhaps even get her to rest in spending time with her this way. Standing up from his seat he looked down at her. "Can I come see what you are working on in the medical bay?" Though feeling a little tired she smiled enthusiastically. "Sure!" It was great to know that someone else had showed interest in the project besides her trainers. Besides, he wasn't bad company and it would be good to catch up a little while she was not busy.


	26. Deepening Infatuations

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 26**

Deepening infatuations

After much tossing and turning Andree still could not get to sleep. If Cora had been present her friend would surely have laughed at her for over thinking the emotions she felt for one of the yautja. It wasn't as if she could help it especially when the elder had walked her back to her room and before leaving pressed his brow lightly against hers as if it were a goodnight kiss. That had left a deep impression in her mind and it was one she couldn't shake off no matter how hard she tried. It was not as if an alien did this to her before, furthermore, she hadn't expect to develop any sort of attraction to this race to begin with.

Stretching slightly in bed, she stared blankly at an empty corner of the room, recalling back to all the training sessions she attended with the other young bloods. It wasn't difficult to tell Kal'fa's method of training apart from the rest of her trainers. Elder Kal'fa was the only trainer on board who was happy to meld his training techniques with techniques in some of her martial arts teachings and used it their private as well as group training sessions. With K'rve, Sorus as well as the five other blooded trainers, they held tight to their races' training methods and might only modify their techniques slightly.

Turning her gaze to the ceiling she sighed again as her thoughts drifted to those on board who were close to. The second in charge was definitely unlike the others on board. When Kal'fa had given hints to Sorus favoring Cora, she couldn't help but compared the two yautja. Underlyingly the elder had spent more time with her and, despite her low rank, was rather willing to follow her advise at times. Sorus however was a little different. Smiling at recalling the times Cora had joined them during their common meal times, she had to admit that the elite warrior and trainer was both kind and gentle toward her friend. Nonetheless being a solo hunter for so long it must have impacted his ability in decision making as he seem unmoving and determined to carry out whatever decision he had set his mind on and rarely changed his mind set.

Letting her mind drift to her gentle natured friend, if it was true that Sorus liked her, she wondered if her friend would ever fall for a warrior with such a domineering character. Pulling a pillow and putting it over her, Andree shook her head to empty her thoughts. She had to admit that her desire to develop a deeper relationship with one hunter was bringing on selfish thoughts about tying Cora down to a similar situation just for the want of a human companion.

Breathing in deeply, Andree calmed her nerves down and pushed the thought of Cora liking a yautja aside. It wasn't like her quiet room mate to like controlling characters rather both she and Cora despised them. Though knowing Sorus as a trainer, she knew that his commanding presence and assertiveness came with his role and highly doubted that he would do anything to disrespect the decisions of others unless it was for a greater good.

Whatever the case, it was an awefully strange situation for both her and Cora to be in at the moment. In her instance, like the growing bonds, staying with the clan was never going to be a factor to consider but with the way things were going she wasn't sure what decision she'd make when time came for them to leave. At least with Cora safely behind the walls of the medical bay, she was still unaware of the situation and did not have more to think about other than her project. Closing her eyes and letting sleep finally claim her, she wondered what it would be like for a relationship between both their species. It was a strange thought indeed for two different sentient races to develop into something much more than just the bonds of being warriors in arms.

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The walk back to the medical bay had been slow. Having this pain once a month must really take its toll on her body as she seemed unusually fatigued. After hunting oomans through the years, though he knew little about their internal functions, he was certain that stress from the project played a role in her being so exhausted. He had to slow down to an almost crawling pace when he noticed that Cora had difficulties keeping up with him.

Due to this pain, there would be little point in spending time together if it was not quality time. For her to train in the medical bay and not have a remedy for this discomfort seemed strange to him. The drugs his race used might have been strong for oomans but it still worked nonetheless. Whatever her reasons for not taking the drugs he was going to see to it that this pain was eased either through his races' methods or the use of ooman methods.

On reaching their destination Cora enthusiastically showed Sorus what she and the healers were working on. The current medkits covered pain as well as dealing with acid burns and other physical wounds. After her initial training she had learnt much about their anatomy and the basics of the medicines used in hunts. However, she had noticed that they had nothing to counter poisons that ate into the muscle, bone, blood and nerve tissue. Walking further down to the end of the bench she glanced at Sorus, "After my initial training I brought this project to the attention of the healers and we started formulating a drug which we managed to develop only recently."

Grabbing a tube with viscose grey liquid inside she handed it to the towering hunter. "This potion we created is far from completion, the perfected drug is meant to stop the spread of the poison through the necrosis of the area affected. It was a poison against poison concept that started the project..." Hearing her pause to look down at the bench with disappointment clearly showing, Sorus put the tube back on the bench and walked a little closer to her. "Is there something wrong with the drug?"

Leaning against the bench to face the wall, she fingered the strange design that she classed as the wallpaper for the room. "The potion we have at the moment doesn't only eat away the poisoned tissue, it would continue to spread unceasingly and eat away at other non-affected tissue as well. This is the reason why I've been missing meals...I want to find a way to dilute it without reducing its effectiveness and I know that I'm close to getting it right." Being frustrated at the current situation she had not even notice the clawed hand that came to rest on her shoulder.

Sorus was impressed at the progress of the project and understood why the healers wanted her to take a break. The medicines the yautja created sometimes took years. With her coming up with a potion, though not completed, in a few weeks was already a great success in itself. Recalling a conversation they had a while ago, he surmised that her dissatisfaction in the incomplete product was probably due to ooman customs and upbringing where everything needed to be perfected in the shortest amount of time.

Seeing that her actions had begun to slow and fatigue move in, he stepped closer and lightly rubbed her back. "You are very tired....lets go back to your room." Fingering one of the containers in front of her, Cora turned slightly. "Yea...I suppose I should rest but I'll be resting here though. There's no point in disturbing Andree from her sleep if I'm only going to be resting for a while."

Walking to another bench, she pushed to stand on it to reach into a storage cabinet at the top while standing on the tips of her toes to grab fur blanket. As she threw it down on the nearest medical table, she looked at the hunter standing beside the bench looking up at her while clicking softly. Feeling Sorus gently grab her wrist to pull her down, she squat down on the bench to face him. The close proximity made her feel a little uneasy but looking at his deep amber eyes made her feel somewhat calmer. As with other species, assuming that making direct eye contact would be seen as a challenge of sorts she quickly brought her gaze down and waited patiently for him to speak.

It had been but a short while since they caught up and now, with her resting, he was faced once again in leaving her. Gazing at Cora, studying her soft expression at such close range while gently stroking her wrist, warmed his heart. This closeness was something he wanted for so long and though he would have liked for this moment to linger a little longer he could sense her unease. "Will you go down to the eating area for meals more often so we can chat like before?"

Raising her gaze slightly she gave him an incredulous look. "Well...if you want to spend time talking do you want to rest here for the night? When I worked out in the wild my colleagues and I sometimes talk each other to sleep." Seeing him move slightly closer, Cora gasped in surprise as Sorus suddenly lifted her off the bench and gently put her down on the table with the fur blanket.

With her invitation in asking him to stay he did not hesitate in grabbing the open opportunity to spend more time with her. "You rest I will watch over you." It did not matter if talked or if she would be resting through the time he spent with her this night. If she felt comfortable with him being around while she was in a vulnerable state then it was at least a start in moving forward. Every other time he had spent with her it was almost always with the company of others but not this time and he would treasure every moment of it.

Seated on the end of the same table, he listened as she spoke of her homeworld and how she missed the people and animals there. There was much she explored in the wilderness of her homeworld and it was rather interesting to learn of the environment she grew up in as well as the activities she liked to undertake in her spare time, however the mention of missing home got him a little worried. Looking down at the table he rested a clawed hand on her outstretched leg. "Are you homesick?" It wasn't something he would have liked to ask but if it was a concern to her then it should be addressed.

Smiling up at the yautja Cora shook her head. "I do miss home but I'm not homesick just yet. In my line of work I'm used to being away from home on projects for a couple of months or a half a year at times. Besides, even if I was homesick I'd rather have these xeno found first before I return home." Gently grasping her knee, he nodded.

Leading the conversation from her experience with human poachers/hunter to his own hunting experiences, he enjoyed the sound of her soft laughter as he told her about various incidents he faced as an unblooded yautja. After a moment of silence he studied her a short while before deciding to reveal his most degrading hunting experience. "On several occasions I failed to catch my prey because of my curious nature in wanting to study more about my prey...." Glancing at Cora before looking away as if embarrassed he continued, "...and on one occasion I was so intent on studying a particular prey that I wasn't even aware I stepped onto an insect's nest till many of these tiny creatures crawled up my foot. I just took one step away from the nest but my sudden movement caused my prey to flee." It wasn't a strong point for a male to share stories about failed hunts but she saw things differently. Laughing softly with her, he took comfort in knowing that her laughter was purely for the enjoyment of listening to the experience and did not response with the snickering laugh of hunters at a failed attempt. It somehow made him feel good to be able to share these humiliating moments of his life without feeling bad.

After talking for over an hour he got off the table when he saw Cora try to suppress a yawn. "You should get some rest now." After diming the lights, he settled down to sit on the table next to her. Looking at the small form doze lightly after covering herself with the fur blanket and moving into a fetal position he spread his mandibles slightly in a way of a smile. She appeared to be a little more open in this one on one interaction and had earlier self-disclosed a little more about the incident she suffered in the past.

Having learnt that she had been physically assaulted and injured badly by one of her friend's mate which ultimately resulted in the change of her area of study, he understood why she could no longer bear to study and work on helping ooman injuries. The close physical proximity had made her recall the incident. Seeing her doze, he looked down at his clawed hand and clenched it tightly at recalling the conversation they had three weeks earlier. The first time he'd asked about the incident, after Cora had walked away, Andree had told him that though this incident was not a sexual assult in any way it had nonetheless made her fear being touched by male oomans and that was one of the reasons why she did not like talking about it.

Through their conversations he had come to understand that solitude and working with animals was Cora's way of dealing with her past horrors and she was good at what she did. After the breathing device had been implanted, Tofvi had conducted a general checkup on them just before they woke using a special mask to scan their internals. He knew from the results that Cora was still chaste and only hoped that her fear of the past was not a barrier for him to draw close.

Knowing that unlike yautja females that chose their mates in admiration of a hunter's trophies and skill, she being an ooman would obviously seek something different. The little observations he had made while selecting worthy _pyode amedha _to hunt had indicated that females of their species enjoyed physical affections from their male counterparts. Given her past trauma he didn't know if she would allow such contact especially when she feared being handled by the males of her own race. Tapping his right upper mandible in deep thought as he gazed down at her, he reflected on her reaction to him and smiled inwardly. Despite all that had happened it was a good sign that she had not responded badly from the earlier contact.

Watching her groan in her light sleep and curling into a tight ball from the pain in her lower abdomen he moved to stand over her and gently rubbed her back, noticing that this seemingly made her relax a little. During their earlier conversation he was so caught up in their talk and had completely forgotten about this discomfort. Leaning down beside the med table he slowly ran his fingers through her hair and met her soft gaze as she opened her eyes briefly to look at him before closing them again.

Observing her shift slightly yet again and hearing her unsteady breathing, it clearly showed that she wasn't going to be getting much sleep due to the pain. Squeezing her shoulder gently, he clicked softly seeing her eyelids flutter slightly before she blinked them open. "Cora, what do you do to ease this pain?" Gazing at Sorus through heavy eyelids she sighed softly. "I normally put something warm against the area or take pain killers but Andree and I have run out of the drug..." Though it was a pain she was long used to by now it always helped to have pain killers on days when the pain was really bad as it impeded her movements and performance in her tasks.

Hearing this he leaned closer. "What about using our pain relieve drug?" Blinking sleepy at the being hovering over her she took a deep breath before replying, "Andree and I usually take a small dose of the pain relieve solution but we wouldn't take it unless the pain was really bad as this drug though stopping the pain would make us physically more tired." Grunting at her he walked to one of the benches and returned with a small syringe containing the drug. "Even if the drug makes you tired you are going to rest anyway so it will be worthwhile taking it before you rest."

Grabbing Sorus' hand, she shook her head. "No...the effects of the drugs lasts for too long. If I feel tired I won't be able to concentrate much while working." Removing the restraining hand, he rattled softly at her. "I will only give you half the dosage...you need something to ease the pain." Seeing her sigh in defeat before nodding, he pulled the blanket away temporarily to administer the drug. The amount given was minute compared to the usual dose in the hunting medkits. Even then it caused her to winced and shudder slightly from the pain of taking the drug. Putting the syringe back on the bench he turned back to see her snuggled back into the comfort of the covers.

As she closed her eyes again he waited a short moment, pondering on what else would help, before deciding to warm the area like she mentioned earlier. Putting one hand under the fur blanket, he slowly worked his way to the sore area. Feeling her suddenly tense from his actions he gently rested his large hand on the area hoping to ease the pain as well as calm her.

Feeling Sorus slide a hand under the blanket got her worried, however, his actions though deliberate were gentle and reassuring as he placed his rather warm hand on her still sore abdomen. Gradually relaxing, she put one hand over his and opened one eye to a slit to look at him. "I didn't know a yautja's body temperature was so much warmer its......comfortable."

The friendship with this particular hunter over the past weeks had been oddly comfortable despite their physical and culture differences. Even though she was only able to make a few friends from their race, mainly consisting of the older hunters, Sorus seemed to stand apart from the rest and appeared to genuinely want to learn more about her species. She knew from observation that the elder hunters were approached with the utmost respect and that informal conversations were rare. As with her relationship with all the hunters, unless the older hunter wanted to talk about something the younger ones would almost never raise the topic of discussion.

As much as she wanted to treat Sorus as a close friend the fact still remained that his rank was somewhat of a barrier. Still it was comforting to know that besides Andree she had possibly another good friend whom she could comfortably talk to and spend time with. Closing tired eyes she slowly relaxed under the warm touch that seem to ease her pains.

Purring softly from her reaction, he knew he had taken another step closer to her. As he gently laid his free hand lightly on her forehead, he felt her relax and start to fall into a deep sleep. "Cora rest just for tomorrow., you need it to better work on the project." Speaking sleepily, she turned her head slowly without opening her eyes, "I can't sleep here then...the healers......"

Hearing her respond, he quickly cut her off before she was aroused from her sleep. "Don't worry, I will take you to another room to rest." Opening her eyes slightly, Cora gazed up at Sorus standing over her. "I can walk to the room with you." With her whispering a reply, he gently put his hand on her shoulder, restraining her as he watch her struggle to get up. "No, you rest now." Slowly running his hand through her hair to lure her to sleep, he watched as she reluctantly lay back and once again started to doze after a while. She was exhausted when he had met her and was no doubt more fatigued now, especially after taking the drug.

Waiting till she fell into a deep sleep, he gently lifted her up with the fur covering her and silently left the medical bay. Making his way to the fourth level where the guest quarters were located, he took her to an empty room and laid her on the bed. Looking down at her, he contemplated if he should stay but after a moment he decided and turned to lock the door. Walking over to the side of the bed she was closer to, he sat on the floor with his back against the wall and rested. He did not want her to be caught by accident and punished for using a guest room without permission and being of high rank no one would dare punish her if the use of the room was under his directive.

Through the night he was dimly aware that she used the bathroom a few times and had covered him with an extra fur blanket from the room. He was silently pleased with how the night had progressed but more time and effort would be needed in this courtship if he was to succeed in winning her over. Tomorrow he would have to talk to the elders and healers to give her time off for the day, she would need the rest anyway as she was both mentally and physically fatigued. In getting her off duties he would also need to arrange his day with care so as to maximise the time spent with her.


	27. Dealing with your emotions

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 27**

Dealing with your emotions

After several hours of sleeping, Sorus silently got up and stretched. Looking down at the young female sleeping lightly he soundlessly knelt down beside the bed and gently ran a hand through her hair. He purred softly at the comfort in being so close to her and as she opened her eyes he moved his hand to rest it on her shoulder. "Are you feeling better?" Moving back slightly when Cora sat up on the bed, he observed that she seemed to now move without pain. Regardless of whether the pain had left or not he was going to request that she be free of duties for the day. Her body and mind needed time to relax for a while.

Taking his large clawed hand from her shoulder, Cora squeezed it lightly and smiled up at him. "Thanks Sorus I feel much better now. So I guess I can return t..." A clawed hand was instantly under her chin, raising her gaze to meet his, and a thumb lightly pressed against her lips. "No, you will rest today. I will speak to the elders and healers now, and you can observe the young bloods in their training." Pausing a moment he removed his finger from her lips to gently stroke her jawline. "Since we have not seen each other for several weeks I would also like to spend some time to catch up with you."

Looking at Sorus in puzzlement at his actions, she didn't know if this was an order or a different sort of 'punishment' to get her to rest. Getting out of the bed and grabbing the fur blanket she brought with her, Cora followed Sorus out the door and watched as he locked the room. With her head clearing with each passing moment, she decided to talk her senior out of letting her off duties. After all, the only time the hunters on board took time out was when they were badly injured in fights and this was not the case with her.

Turning to face Cora after locking the room, he could tell that she was fully awake now and was going to protest against what he had said earlier. Not wanting to give her the chance to decline the rest she needed, he put a clawed hand on her shoulder and leaned down. "I will see you in the eating area later." Then quickly turning around he walked toward the control centre leaving Cora to sort herself out before the early meal.

Left standing in the corridor alone, Cora shook her head slightly with a smile. Out of all everyone that tried to get her to rest from work Sorus had been the only one who actually succeeded in accomplishing it. Walking down the corridor toward her room, she knew Andree would still be in the room and looked forward to update her on this. There was no doubt that Andree would be surprised to hear of the happenings of the past night and have something to say.

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Andree looked up from the bed and eyed the fur blanket Cora was carrying as she walked in the room. "Well, its good to know that you're at least getting some rest from work. A few yautja have been wondering why you _'mysteriously'_disappeared from meals. Even Sorus was asking about you yesterday." Cora looked at Andree smiling at her and returned her smile.

Dumping the blanket on the bed, Cora sat on the edge of the bed while looking down at her friend and related the events of the previous night. Andree grinned widely before commenting jokingly, "Looks like you have a yautja that is _really_ concerned about your welfare."

Cora laughed, throwing one of the furs over Andree for the comment. "I thought you would say something like that but don't you worry I assure you _nothing_out of the ordinary is going on. I'm sure that Sorus as well as the other yautja are just curious and studying us as we are observing them too."

Removing the blanket from her head, Andree added teasingly, "Uh-huh. Well just in case you didn't know even Kal'fa has noticed that Sorus has been getting edgy when you started with your disappearance act." Still laughing, Cora laid on the bed with her legs dangling over the side. Looking over at Andree before staring at the ceiling she sighed deeply. "Yea, I'll admit that Sorus is caring but he's just a close friend." Glancing at Andree, she saw her friend raise an eyebrow shaking her head in disagreement. "Are you sure there's nothing more than him being a close friend?"

Turning to her side and propping her head up on an elbow to face Andree, Cora gave a somewhat sad look. "Well for reasons you are clearly aware of I've never accepted anyone as a partner despite being asked many times. I couldn't compare my friendship with Sorus to anyone on that level even if I wanted to." Still looking at Andree, Cora smiled up at her with a topic of interest in mind. "So how's your private training with the elder? Last we spoke you were already rather good with fighting against the other young bloods. Are you planning on continuing your private training with him?"

With the conversation now focusing on her and Kal'fa, Andree stood up to stretch and looked down at her friend. Her mind began to cloud with thoughts from the previous night. "Since I've never beaten him after the very first spar I'm sure hoping to continue with our private training sessions." Seeing Cora raise her hand up toward her, Andree reached down and grabbed her outstretched hand to pull her up.

Looking at her quiet companion, Andree gathered the courage to ask her something that had been bothering her through the night. She knew the question was going to make things a little awkward but she rather have it off her chest than let it continue to eat at her unceasingly. Speaking in an unusually calm and quiet manner, as if treading on dangerous ground, she hoped that Cora would not mind discussing the issue that was vexing her. "Cora, you mentioned studying the yautja anatomy when you started your training. Seeing that humans and yautja are both sentient beings and could perhaps develop a close relationship is there any chance of......coition between both our species?"

Hearing this, Cora raised an eyebrow. "You're attracted to one of them?" Looking down at the ground to deduce the happenings over the passed months she slowly raised her gaze to Andree to confirm her suspicion. "Seeing that you hardly talk about any other yautja I got a feeling that if you're drawn to one of them it would most likely be the elder you're interested in, right?" Running a hand through her hair in a manner that showed frustration Andree started to pace the room. "I don't know if I'm attracted to him or not. He's definitely more than a friend and a teacher. What's more, during the training last night he pulled me close to him before I fell off the stage and I felt _something_ and I am almost certain he did too."

Gently smiling at Andree's dilemma, Cora reached out to grab her wrist to stop the restless pacing. Seeing Andree frustrated and agitated over such a situation was really surprising to her. She knew that Andree had several close relationships in the past but none had ever sent her into such an emotional state. "I have no idea how you got your heart strings tangled in such a situation....anyway, getting back to your initial question, as both our anatomies are rather similar I'm pretty certain that it is possible to couple with them." Shifting her stance at being uneasy of the topic, Cora slowly continued, "Though I'm not entirely sure that it is possible for both our species to have offspring and I think that's something Tofvi or Hrael might know. But......"

Looking up sharply as she didn't continue, Andree took a purposeful step toward her. "But what?" Shaking her head and looking to the ground Cora gently took Andree's hand and squeezed it. "But if its just a relationship of deep understanding why are you thinking about copulating with him?" Sighing Andree squeezed Cora's hand in return, "I know that you're afraid of a male's touch but in developing a couple type relationship it needs to move to a higher level where more is involved. I have been in such relationships before and I know it takes both body and spirit, it's an incomplete relationship if one party can only offer half of him or herself."

Sensing her unease, Andree smiled before adding, "Besides as uncertain as I am about the whole situation, _**if **_we do share that kind of bond I'm not going to just sleep with him, I need to know if this relationship is going anywhere. Though I'm not entirely sure if relationships between our species is accepted I just got the feeling that the yautja would be more accepting of this than humans. After all they did give us the freedom to choose to help with the search as well as accommodate to our needs while living with them."

Cora looked anxiously at her friend. "Are you planning on staying with the yautja then?" Still smiling Andree shook her head slowly. "I haven't decided yet. I still don't know for sure what Elder Kal'fa feels and even if he did feel something I don't know if their customs would accept a permanent relationship."

Moving over to the storage area Andree took out the clothes made by the yautja for her training. Cora could continue to wear her usual clothings but being trained as a hunter she could not. Grabbing the large dry cloth that was used as a towel in the alien race she walked over to the bathroom while continuing to speak to Cora. "Kal'fa told me last night that he was going to discuss with Elder K'rve of us learning more about their customs and culture. Seeing that violence isn't involved and that you love to learn about everything in a new species I think it'll be interesting for you, don't you think so?" Smiling at the change of topic, Cora nodded in acknowledgement. "Yeah it will be a different way to learn about the yautja instead of just plain observation."

After showering and changing into fresh clothes the two slowly made their way to the eating area.

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Looking into the cells holding the drones again, Audrey clenched her fists in anger. It had shocked her to learn of Ethan's death and knowing this she had come to understand the madness of Darren's actions. However, as much as she hated using people as victims, she had no power to cease it nor could she change the direction of the project. What frustrated her more was the fact that Darren, though appearing to lose interest in Ethan's original project, continued to persist in his attempt to get whatever he could from it.

It was now just over the three month mark and there was still no progress in the current situation. How in the world was she going to make more drones? The primary focus on the project was to control the drones with a queen present and without the female it was a futile experiment. Peering into one of the cells, she looked on as a drone bent over the bound form of a heavily drugged middle aged woman lying at its feet. It seemed to be sniffing her with its inner mouth. Her hopes rose when the xenomorph seem to slowly put its inner mouth into the being but when it smashed through the skull, spraying blood and gore in the corner of the cell, her heart sank once again.

Turning away from the creature's kill, Audrey forcefully threw the file in her hand across the dimly lit observation room. The last update with Darren had indicated that he treated this as a side project and as far as she was concerned it was a project that held no success. Along with her six other collegues, she couldn't understand why he just wouldn't shut it down to focus on finding a new nest altogether or just give up.

She knew that the brothers had been close and could understand the loss Darren felt for Ethan but he should know better and respect his older brother's wishes. The project was meant for helping humanity and not sacrificing the lives of people to gain revenge. Though both wanted to rid the galaxy of the so called predators Ethan's way made certain that there would be minimal loss to human life while Darren focused purely on destroying everything that got in the way just to get his revenge.

Walking to the end of the room to retrieve the file on the floor she took a deep breath to calm herself. Despite hating what she did, this was still no doubt a given opportunity for her to research on the xenomorphs. Walking back to look into the cells, she nodded at a younger scientist who passed by her on his way to the other end of the room. "Ray, I want to be informed when the next lot of potential hosts arrive, we're going to use a different approach next time round." Not bothering to give a detailed explanation on what she had planned, she turned and walked out the observation room.

Making her way down the brightly lit corridors of the small facility to her room she ignored the armed men that passed her. Besides her colleagues all others on site consisted of Darren's armed men, and as far as she was concerned they were all loyal dogs to the crazed man who now own this facility. On entering her small room Audrey dropped the file on the bedside table and sat at the edge of the bed staring down tiredly at the ground in deep thought.

They had always restrained and drugged the people before presenting them to the drones. Perhaps the xenos would respond differently if the people were awake and unrestrained. Initially it had disturbed her deeply to use the lives of others altogether but as it were she was too tired now to really care. If there was even a slim chance of success in the drones reproducing using prey that were conscious and kicking then it would save her the trouble of needing to experiment on the xenos and try to clone what was not possible.


	28. The test for success

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 28**

The test for success

In the upper decks of the ship the elders routinely discussed various issues in the meeting area pertaining to the upcoming hunts and the missing hard meat. The huge room was used to oversee the planets the clan hunted on and being a quiet part of the ship that was only accessible to the older hunters, it was also where the elders and oomans had most of their discussions while searching for the missing hard meat.

Inside K'rve listened with growing interest as Kal'fa gave details of the new training technique Andree used while training on the ooman world. He had noticed that Kal'fa had used several new techniques in the training sessions and had no doubt that he had adapted some of the ooman ways to theirs. _"This method of training though very different from our usual customs sounds interesting. We will trial it and see if it is successful."_Having personally seen that many of the new methods worked well, he was keen to see if this particular method would work as well. Though it was some time since both oomans arrived, he was a fair leader and had overseen much of the advancement of the training. He had it in mind to up Andree's rank a while ago due to her significant improvement and this new training method, if successful, would give him reason to allow her to move up in status.

Having the first issue approved by his brother Kal'fa now moved to a more personal issue. _"K'rve, I believe that it will be beneficial for both oomans to learn more of our culture and customs. Andree has shown much of her skill against the young bloods but Cora has yet to show her ability in a debating challenge. Perhaps if they are more familiar of our races' ways she may feel more comfortable and be more incline to propose a challenge."_

Raising his gaze to meet Kal'fa's he laughed hard at this indirect 'request'. He was well aware that this request was primarily aimed at courting of the warrior ooman but knew that his brother would not use a direct approach for an intimate issue._"Yes, perhaps."_Hearing the soft hissing of the door opening, both elders turned to see Sorus walk in and nodded to acknowledge his presence. K'rve beckoned the warrior to join them before continuing with the issue Kal'fa had brought up._"Sorus, it is indeed good timing for you to come in at this time, we were just talking about teaching both oomans of our customs and culture. Kal'fa wants to aim this at prompting Cora to debate with the young bloods when she is more comfortable with our ways."_ Then turning to Kal'fa he tapped his lower mandibles and added teasingly, _"Giving them more knowledge might also help with the courtship."_

Looking up at both elders in surprise, Sorus turned his gaze to Kal'fa. 'Was he courting Cora as well?' Thinking about the past events he realised that the elder was trying to court Andree! All the yautja knew of his private training with her to help with catching up in yautja training however in the past weeks Andree had shown a marked improvement and her skills were clearly above all the other young bloods. Now he understood why Kal'fa had not ceased his training with Andree, he wanted to have private time to pursue her!

Both Kal'fa and Sorus glanced at their elder before sheepishly looking away. Though there was nothing embarrassing in courtship, both warriors were in an awkward position in having the leader provide a supporting hand in something that was meant to be personal. K'rve tapped his upper mandibles and grinned. It was up to the females to choose who they wanted as a mate and usually the show of skill or skull would have been sufficient however, as both females were ooman, this situation was far different from the norm. It had been a long time since something so interesting had occurred on board and he was thoroughly enjoying every moment of it. "_We had better keep this conversation between us till you each have proposed to them." _Then turning to Sorus he turned more serious. _"Was there something you wanted to report?"_

Turning his gaze back to the leader, Sorus nodded. _"I spoke with Cora last night and got her to rest a while however she is still tired in mind and body. Is it possible for her to spend one day observing the young bloods in their training instead?" _K'rve smiled inwardly and shook his head in disbelief. Moving up to the scanner, he addressed the hunter while looking at the near by system displayed on the device before him. _"It must have been a challenge to get her to rest." _Tapping a claw on a few symbols to turn off the scanner, he returned his gaze to Sorus and nodded. _"She may rest for the day. After all, Cora has been overworking a lot and must be exhausted even though she doesn't yet realise it."_

With upper mandibles tapping slowly as if in deep thought, K'rve added, _"Our female healer doesn't seem to like the violence hence she was blooded a pure healer but we will be trialing a training technique the oomans use with Andree to provide directions. Cora is welcome to attend it but you may need to stay by her side as this new training method may not go down well with the young bloods."_ Putting a hand on Sorus' shoulder, he added lightly, _"And seeing that my mei'hswei has private time with Andree every night I will not give you any duties today. It would be good to treasure what time you have with Cora this day."_

As they left the meeting area, the elders made their way to the _kehrite _while Sorus headed to the medical bay. The healers still had to be informed and preparations would have to be made before the training began.

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In the eating hall, Andree and Cora sat with the other young hunters. Majority of the young bloods had learnt much of the ooman language now and could understand most of what they said. Though some of them, who enjoyed their company, didn't always agree with the human way of viewing certain situations the interaction was a good experience for both races. The few young bloods who preferred not to associate with either of them had viewed the interaction as meaningless and a waste of time, and over time Andree had learnt to ignore them.

Up till the end of their allocated meal time there was still no sign of the senior hunters and seeing that they were not going to turn up just before training commenced all who were in the eating area started to make their way to the _kehrite_. It was the norm for both the young and blooded hunters to ready themselves while waiting for the older hunters in the training area. However, after the juniors moved in the _kehrite,_they were surprised that the three most senior warriors as well as the healers were already waiting for them. Seeing this, all the yautja moved quickly into the room and waited in silence. Something was obviously up and the excitement as well as the musk was building in the air.

Stepping up onto the slightly raised platform Kal'fa signalled Andree to move up on the stage. Seeing this Cora looked at her friend questioningly but received a look of confusion and uncertainty in return. Quickly making her way through the crowd of huge males that were jostling at each other in moving closer to the stage, Andree lightly pushed herself up onto the platform and walked over to the elder. Clicking his lower mandibles lightly the second in charge directed her to face the crowd as he gave the instructions. _"We will be trialing a new training technique today, it is similar to the one the oomans use and Elder K'rve, Sorus and I being the most experienced hunters have found this method worthy of trialing as it will refine your hand-to-hand combat skills."_

Hearing this the few young bloods who despised the oomans snorted and grunted with disgusted. The three seniors took note of who these were but said nothing. These narrow minded hunters would later be picked as 'test subjects' after the initial trial was over. They would be chosen to fight their fellow young bloods who experienced this new training and would determine if this manner of training was indeed useful. Glancing down at Andree, Kal'fa leaned down to her and quickly explained what he and K'rve had in mind before asking her to explain the technique to the crowd after he addressed them one last time. _"Andree will now explain the technique and rules applied to this training method. I will translate it later for the benefit of those who have not yet learnt the ooman language."_ Then looking back he nodded to her to step forward.

Stepping up Andree spoke slowly so the yautja who understood their language could catch onto what she was saying. Seeing that the five blooded as well as the blooded healers were present, all seven were to be the trainers for the trial. Looking at all the sea of alien faces before her, she slowly explained. "Seven young bloods will be selected to fight with the blooded warriors in a one on one fight. In addition, the blooded will use a small blade in the fight but the young bloods will receive no weapons." Hearing this a few aggressive growls could be heard but were instantly silenced when Kal'fa barked at them.

Continuing to give the instructions, she now moved her attention to the blooded hunters in the room. "For the blooded to win they would need to give their opponents three slashes at non-vital areas." Then pausing a short moment, she moved her gaze to the young hunters who were standing closer to the platform. "For the young bloods to win they need to avoid being cut as well as try to knock the blade from their opponent's hand." As she finished Kal'fa stepped forward to translate the instructions and could tell that it was not sitting well with almost all the yautja.

Yedin, a young blood, barked out loud in disgust at using such techniques. _"What purpose is there in this 'training'? How can a more experienced hunter be armed while a lesser be unarmed?"_Kal'fa roared at the young blood. _"You will be silent pup, learn to listen and understand before speaking, else you lose you place here."_ Though seething in anger, the young blood kept silent and glared at the two on stage.

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With silence gradually settling in the room, Sorus quickly made his way through to Cora who was standing in the middle of the aggressive and restless young males. Though she had T'sde and D'fal standing close by he would not not risk her safety. Besides, the two warriors would soon be fighting and she would be left standing with the increasingly agitated young hunters around her. As he approached her from behind, he could tell from her posture that she was a little tensed in the situation. Putting a clawed hand on her shoulder he clicked lightly when she turned around sharply to see who it was. Leaning down to her ear, he spoke softly, "Come stand with me at the side of the room." He smiled inwardly when she nodded before moving closer to him.

Taking the lead, he was conscious that she might still be sore from the night before and slowed his pace to make sure Cora remained close behind. Walking through the crowd, he glared and snarled at any of the young bloods who tried to obstruct her way when she about to pass them by. As they reached the side of the room he glanced down at her and was glad to see that though she was more vigilant she remained calm by his side. Concerned that this session might result in more injuries and violence than the usual training he moved a little closer to her. "Does it trouble you to watch the young bloods fight?" Awaiting her answer, he ignored the confused looks of a few yautja standing nearby who clearly understood and overheard his question.

Raising her gaze to meet his, Cora laughed softly. "No, a little violence doesn't bother me. I have to admit that I don't like unnecessary fights but I understand that this is all part of the training in your race. Besides, I've seen much cruelty and even bloodshed in my line of work so this training won't distress me." Surprised yet pleased at her response he nodded and retuned his attention back to the stage.

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Watching the crowd on the stage, Kal'fa thought back to their discussion in the meeting area. Both K'rve and Sorus had earlier agreed that this would be a good training session in allowing the young hunters to practice evading attacks effectively while trying to disarm one's opponent. However, the other challenge at hand was to get the younger hunters to understand the purpose of this training. Facing the silent crowd, he explained that the intent of the training to ease the youths unsettled hearts._"Your opponent being more experienced will naturally force you to defend yourself and, the lesser skilled, through trying to evade the attacks you will learn to survive longer."_

Letting his gaze sweep over the crowd, Kal'fa let it rest on Yedin as he addressed all in the room while answering the young hunter's question in a calmer tone._"In fights where your opponent is equal or more skilled, you stand a better chance of survival and perhaps victory if you have develop a strong self-defense. If your opponent is unable to break your defense then you stand a good chance of defeating your opponent when they tire." _He knew that Yedin was a skilled hunter but his weakness was in his arrogance. This young blood would no doubt be a greater hunter if he were not so narrow the young bloods digest the information, he glanced at the blooded hunters scattered around the room who were nodding in agreement.

As more approving and enthusiastic clicks sounded off from the younger hunters, K'rve stepped up the stage and called six young bloods to the front of the stage before signalling Andree to stand beside them. Looking at the seven young bloods before him he addressed them as the blooded made their way to collect the small blades,_"You will be the first group of seven who are selected to fight with the blooded. After this challenge, regardless of the result, the seven of you will later fight seven other young bloods in a no weapons hand to hand combat and all will see the result of this training method."_

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After the selected young bloods had all fought their blooded opponents, all the yautja were roaring and clicking in anticipation for the next round of fights to begin. Only Andree and another young blood were able to knock the weapon from their opponent's hand but both had received cuts along with the five others. Seeing that the usual training method involved either both opponents being armed or unarmed, these fights being completely different were truly interesting to watch.

As only a small blade was allowed, the cuts the seven received did not result in much blood loss. In preparation for the next seven rounds, the three healers tended to the wounds the seven young bloods had received while the three most senior warriors selected another batch of youths to fight the first group. After having all their wounds patched up, each pair of young bloods took to the stage when they were called, with Andree and Yedin being the last to fight. Despite five of the six young bloods in the second group losing, Yedin was keen on proving that this technique was useless. Standing on one end of the stage he snarled at the female on the opposite end. Being paired to fight the ooman was the perfect opportunity for him to show all that the _pyode amedha_ were an inferior species and were not worthy to join the clan.

Jumping to one side as the huge male mindlessly charged at her again Andree slammed her foot down on Yedin's ankle as he passed her but as he fell on one knee she quickly drew back as he tried to grab at her. Despite the rules of the second round dictating that one had to outlast or pin their opponent down to win, it did not matter much to her that the yautja had the advantage of having their size and weight over her. She had evaded all Yedin's attacks with ease as he increased his reckless charging at her in the desperate hope of pinning her down.

Even with the strength of his youth, the young male slowly tire with his continuous attempts to crush and take her down. Sensing his fatigue Andree now moved in. Using her agility as well as the energy she had preserved for this moment, she ducked under his arm as he moved to grab her and matched his move by grabbing one of his wrists before quickly twisting it behind his back. At the same instance she slammed her foot down full force into the back of his knee, forcing him down on one knee. As he struggled to stand she twisted his arm further and forcefully drove an elbow down the base of his neck, causing him crash to the ground.

Conscious that he could still easily throw her off his back, she kept a firm hold on the arm twisted behind his back and as he lifted his head from the ground she wrapped her leg around his neck. With her leg tightly wrapped around his neck, he would ultimately be breaking his own neck if he tried to dislodge her. All the yautja roared in approval at the _n__ain-desintje-da_. This was a typical pure win and a good fight to prove the effectiveness of the training method.

On seeing that the young blood was successfully pinned, K'rve barked out for the fight to cease. He had expected Andree to win through outlasting her opponent but had not expected her to pin Yedin down. In truth, this fight had been to her disadvantage but she had still managed to success. Glancing at Kal'fa who stood at the side of the stage, looking proudly and fondly at her, he grinned widely. Stepping up onto the platform, he nodded at the two as they got to their feet and bowed to him. With Andree moving to follow Yedin off the stage, he quickly held her back as he addressed the crowd. _"You have all witnessed the marked improvement and skill Andree has shown in the short time she has trained on board. Her current skill level and quick use of intellect to adapt in fights are above the level of all young bloods, and being such a skilled warrior she will now join the ranks of the blooded and assist with the training of all the young bloods."_

As with their customs, all the yautja in the room bowed their heads slightly with her advancement in rank. Seeing Andree looking at Kal'fa with a confused look at the situation, he rested his hand on her shoulder and bent down slightly to face her. "You are blooded warrior now. You help train young bloods with other blooded hunters." Chuckling at her surprised look he nodded as she bowed low in respect and acknowledgement of her rise in rank. Then turning his attention back to the crowd, K'rve addressed the young bloods. _"Get some rest now training will resume in half an hour."_

Jumping off the stage Andree slowly made her way through the crowd to Kal'fa. Having risen in rank in so short a period of time made her feel a little awkward but with many young bloods who were now friends, patting her on the shoulder as she passed by, it somehow made it easier to accept her new status. On reaching Kal'fa, she bowed before looking up and smiling widely at him. "Will you continue to train me? After all, I haven't beaten you yet."

Kal'fa looked down at her, amused at the statement. Moving closer, he leaned down and purred while speaking softly. "Is that a challenge?" He moved his lower tusks slowly in an almost taunting manner, daring her to raise the stakes. Waiting for the young bloods to move further away, she stepped slightly closer to him and whispered, "Well, I challenge you to train me till I beat you." Purring softly at the thought of this sweet challenge he nodded. "I accept your challenge. We shall see how long it takes before you can beat me."

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Running in the confined space from the drone Eric cried out as the tail of the beast tripped him. Feeling the cold claws encircled his torso, turning him to face the eyeless horror, he continued to struggle fiercely despite being weakened from his ill health. Seeing an inner mouth emerge from the creature's jaws he screamed out as the long black talons enveloped him in an embrace that was far from comforting. All his cries for help were ceased as he felt the forced entry of the thick slimy tube that was thrusted deep in his mouth. With the sensation of swallowing a soft and viscose covered object his trashing slowed as all consciousness gradually faded away.

Looking into the cell, Audrey stared at the scene without emotion. She suppose that the sight of the xenos killing people who were drugged, in the past months, had somehow desensitized her from feeling disturbed at the humans before her being impregnated. Despite the fact that the drones were now making progress in cloning more of their kind, the suffering of her own species brought her no joy.

The xeno, now slowly developing in the fallen form on the ground, would be one of the new xenos created by the drones. With the new hosts that had been shipped in over the past hours, she had found that the drone only implanted embryos in those that were apparently not as sickly. Still, none of the scans indicated that the new xenos had been a queen. The progress that was made in the short hours had been good, however, it had disturbed her greatly to learn that all the xenos here did not seem to be as active as the ones she had observed on Bolva.

Turning to her right, she tapped her colleague on the shoulder to draw her attention from the drone. "Sandra can you please run a diagnostics on all the drones again?" Then glancing at the younger woman behind her, she handed her a thick file containing records of the xeno's diet over the past months. "Heather, I want you to check all details in this file and take note of any meat sent here that has been diseased in any way." Looking back at the xenos in their individual cells, she took a deep breath and sighed. Despite wanting to find other causes to their lack of activeness, her gut feeling had already instinctively told her what did not need further research. It was plain to see that the possibility of the drones appearing sickly was solely be due to the fact that the hosts had all been diseased in one way or another but there was no way she could accuse Darren of this.

Shaking her head, she took up another file and began flipping through it slowly. It contained information on the ill that were brought here as potential hosts and she was surprised to learn that no one had yet discovered them missing. Thinking back to an argument she had started with Darren a while ago, she recalled how he had sneered at her concerns of being tracked down by the authorities through tracing the missing people. Now looking through this file, it made sense that no one would look for these people as they had little or no more relations hence there was little concern in regards to tracking their whereabouts.

Looking around the room at all her colleagues, she walked to a nearby table and leaned down to rest her eyes for a few minutes. She knew that besides buying more planets, Darren was expanding his search for a new queen elsewhere. And despite being tired of working under Darren, she could not back out of the current situation. His guards had been sent to apparently get rid of any who left the planet without first getting permission and Darren never gave any the freedom to leave. She as well as her new team were all trapped on this damed cold prison. Even with their slow progress, she was certain that all their hopes now rested in his success in finding another queen. Another queen meant that this project she was overseeing could finally be closed down and perhaps end their imprisonment to this icy planet.


	29. Closing the gap

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 29**

Closing the gap

While observing the fight, Sorus occasionally glanced over at Cora. After having spent the night with her, he was now looking forward to spending this day with her by his side. It had raised his curiosity when he had discovered her exposure to violence as well as her ability to manage it. From his experience with her race, he knew it wasn't common for oomans to have high exposure to violence yet maintain such a non-aggressive nature. Blatantly sweeping his gaze over the posture she held, he smiled inwardly. It was a wonderment that she chose, either consciously or unconsciously, to have her softhearted nature be dominant of the two extremes within her. He was also glad of this fact as, if he had seen her present an aggressive nature and attempt to kill the hard meat on their first meeting, he would probably have hunted her as well.

Noticing that the crowd had started to gradually disperse for their short break he wondered where they could go to have some time alone without any disruptions. Seeing her glance back at Andree when those around them started to walk out, he knew that she would want to congratulate her friend for moving up in rank and displaying such fine skills. Not wanting to rush her, he slowed to a stop and leaned down to her. "Do you wish to speak to Andree?" Moving her attention from Andree to the deep amber gaze before her, Cora shook her head. "I'll speak to her later. After all we're roommates so we got lots of time to see each other." Then smiling slightly she added in a playful tone, "Besides, it seems that she's busy talking to the elder anyway so its best not to disturb them."

Moving out of the training room with Sorus, Cora wondered what she would be doing the rest of the day. Following the flow of those around her, deviating toward the dining area, a tap on her shoulder indicated that Sorus wanted her to follow him elsewhere. "Come Cora, we will go to the meeting room." Nodding she followed the huge hunter out. Although officially off duties today, she was glad that the day would at least be productive in their continual search for the missing xenos.

Though the elders previously stated that they had expected the search to last about a year she had hoped that the xenos would be found sooner. Three months had passed already and it concerned her that they were not making much progress. Despite the yautja's extensive experience in their dealings with the xenos it was clear to her that with each passing day of fruitless search the damage and lives lost would not doubt increase.

Walking down the corridors in silence, Sorus glanced down at the female beside him. After considering all options, he had decided that the meeting room would be the best place. No one was allowed access to this room without the clearance of an elder or an independent hunter with a senior rank like himself. It was used for searching and preparing for hunts, and younger hunters did not have the skill or status to be allowed such. On entering the room he led Cora past the device used for scanning the planets and walked to the far end of the room where they could look out into the cold blackness of space. Seeing her look up at him in bewilderment as she followed him to the back of the room, he sat down with his back against a side wall so he was facing the window and gently tugged at her wrist. "Come, sit down." Watching Cora hesitated before complying, he sighed inwardly.

Sitting down opposite Sorus, Cora wondered why he had led her here. Not knowing what to expect made her feel more then a little awkward in the current situation. She had thought that they came to do a search using the device but she was obviously mistaken. Settling down a little, she glanced at the towering form before her, she had to admit that over the past months his presence around her was comforting in times of loneliness and she felt more secure as well. However, despite treating him as a close friend, he was of high rank and not all their customs were made known to both her and Andree. Not knowing their customs, her response was purely based on the observations made by other yautja's respect of the higher ranking hunters and this had inevitably placed an invisible barrier in their friendship.

With Cora sitting crosslegged facing him with eyes slightly cast down, he realised that her posture and quiet reaction was due to his status. Not wanting this to get in the way of what he was trying so hard to develop between them, he rested a clawed hand on her knee and rattled softly. "You can raise you gaze and relax when you are alone with me. This is an informal meet up like last night so you can be at ease." Still a little hesitant she questioned softly, "It won't be disrespectful?" Resting his gaze on her, he gently stroked her knee with his thumb and shook his head. "I would prefer to speak while being able to see your face anyway and it won't be disrespectful because I have permitted it."

Shifting from her seat with slight uncertainty, she slowly moved to sit beside him with her back against the wall. This was the first time, during the day, that they would be spending time together informally and she was still trying to settle in with that thought. After a moment of silence she looked up at Sorus who was staring out the transparent wall at the distant stars. Sweeping her gaze over his facial features under the soft yellow lighting that illuminated the room, she smiled to herself. She had seen him without his mask after arriving on the main ship but in the present moment it felt different when she was now able to observe his uniqueness while alone and at such close range. Curious as to why they were here alone she questioned the hunter who appeared deep in thought. "Is there something you wanted to ask me?" Moving his gaze from the stars to meet her soft gaze, he breath in deeply, thinking about what to ask first. "Yes, I wanted to know more about what you did in your free time before you joined the clan."

Hearing this Cora chuckled. It somehow relaxed her knowing that she wasn't the only one who was a little uneasy about their current situation. The yautja beside her was nervous about something but she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was. Seeing that he had helped her settle she decided to reciprocate. "You don't have to be nervous about asking me anything. We are two different species and it is natural for us to be curious and learn about one other."

Frowning inwardly, Sorus knew that her train of thought had to be changed now before he continued asking more questions. It was her that he was interested in and not the learning of her species. "I have been to your homeworld many times and know much about your race. I am interested to know more about you because you are different and...special. I want you as a..." Shutting his mandibles close, he quickly stopped before he could utter the last word.

As keen as he was on taking Cora as his lifemate, he knew she was far from ready. However, her reaction to his unfinished speech surprised him. Grasping his forearm, and giving it a gentle squeeze for reassurance, she smiled up at him before moving to sit closer. "Thank you for seeing me in a different light. You are different from the rest of the yautja I have met and I see you as a close friend too. I know your race aren't very open to building a close friendship with my race but you don't have to be afraid about admitting something like that."

Hearing this, feelings of happiness and frustration filled him at the same time. Having her see him as someone close to her warmed his heart, however she remained naive in his courting of her. Sighing deeply, he knew this pursue would take some time as she wasn't a yautja female and could not detect his scent as well as intent. Moreover, she still had her past fears to deal with. Her being able to feel comfortable with his company and physical touch was already a step in moving forward for both of them.

Suddenly jolting up, Cora turned to face him. "Elder K'rve said to meet in the training room in half an hour and it's almost time." Shaking his head slightly and moving an arm around her waist, Sorus gently pulled her closer to him. "I have spoken to the elders and they have given both of us time from our duties. They know you are overworked and want you to rest for a while." Feeling her calm down, he leaned a little closer and eased his other hand up to rest it on her abdomen. "Does it still hurt?" Cora initially tensed slightly at the touch before slowly relaxing in his hold. "It is still a little sore but nowhere close to the pain I felt yesterday."

Moving his hand very slowly, he shifted her clothing slightly so he could rest his warm palm on her bare skin to reduce the soreness. She again shifted uneasily from his actions but after a moment instead of pulling away she snuggled closer for warmth, effectively drawing a soft purr from him. Cradling her slightly, he listened intently when she spoke of how she'd spent her free time finding peace in solitude as well as her interests, friends and work.

What interested him the most was the mention of forming bonds with certain wild animals which he knew to be dangerous. These animals were wild yet she was able to form a bond with them. Moreover, there were two or three species in particular which even he deemed as challenging prey. He surmised that her gentle nature and ability to form such bonds had enabled her advancement in the ranks of her ooman occupation in a short span of time. Even though she was only a young ooman adult she had already gained the ability and honor to represent her organisation in fighting for the survival of endangered species on several planets.

Tapping Sorus' knee lightly, she glanced up into the deep ambers that seem to draw her in. "Sorus, do you have any siblings?" Clicking softly he nodded. "Yes, I have twenty seven brothers and fifteen sisters. Most of them are half brothers or sisters as my mother had different mates." Seeing her surprised expression, he tapped his lower mandibles and chuckled softly before adding, "Our race lives for thousands of years so our families are naturally bigger than ooman families."

Breaking eye contact Cora turned to look out at the distant planets while casually commenting, "It must be so much fun to have company when you're growing up in such a huge family." Raising a brow on hearing this, he let a few dreadlocks fall over her shoulder as he leaned down closer to query, "Did you not have the company of your siblings when you grew up?" Leaning back against his arm, she shook her head but smiled brightly. "I'm an only child but I had lots of friends when I was young. After they started moving off I became closer friends with Andree and a few others."

Sitting back, he continued to listen as she talked about her life while occasionally asking him questions about his own. Listening to her alone gave him peace of mind in spirit and having her near him had dissolved the restlessness that had built up from her absence in the past weeks. The tranquil feeling that seemed to flow between them made his heart's yearning for her companionship as a mate stronger with each passing moment. Despite the quiet person she portrayed, he knew that her heart was a treasured scarcity that any male would desire if they had but glimpsed at her inner being and beauty.

Veiled from most, her actions spoke louder about her being more than anything. Even before she was blooded as part of the clan she already held great honor in watching over their hunters. Furthermore, her mind never seem to cease in the desire to continually assist others. Knowing this he felt a jealous craving for her heart to belong completely to him and would not tolerate any competition from either yautja or ooman.

After what seemed like hours of talking about their lives they sat in comfortable silence, each enjoying the company of the other. Taking the clawed hand from her abdomen into her hands, Cora slowly and gently stroked his hand while examining it. Putting the clawed hand on her lap, she folded her arms against herself and snuggled closer for warmth before started to doze lightly. "I know you must find this strange Sorus but I never felt so safe with anyone before. You make really good company."

Feeling his heart's quick beating from the joy of hearing her express her thoughts of him, he raised his hand to lightly stroke her cheek. "I enjoy your company too and feel comforted with you by my side. You have much calmness in your being." He knew it was an understatement and that he felt so much more but he had to restrain himself from revealing too much at the moment. After all he was only beginning to close the gap and further the development of their relationship. Letting his gentle gaze rest on her, he resisted the urge to nuzzle her when he turned to face her. "Cora, I want you to know that you can always approach me for anything."

More than a little surprise at the towering yautja's response, she shifted slightly and looked up to see Sorus click his mandibles lightly before changing the subject. "Cora, with your ooman work in protecting wildlife from ooman hunters and observing animals, would you like to discussion some of this with the young bloods?" Taking the hint that her surprised look had possibly made him uneasy, she decided to go with the flow. "I don't really mind as long as the discussion doesn't involve me being in a violent situation."

Moving to stand he grasped Cora's waist as he got up, picking her up beside him. Releasing her, he looked down and nodded. "Alright, I will speak with the elders later. The elders also wanted you and Andree to learn more about our customs and culture. We can perhaps incorporate the discussion into your learning of yautja culture." Leading the way out the room, he typed into the side panel to close and lock the door before they slowly made their way to the dining area.

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On reaching the dining area Sorus walked to the table where the elders were seated. While making his way over to the table, he glanced to the side, watching Cora head straight for Andree who was at the long counter on one end of the room getting her food. After informing K'rve that Cora had agreed to bring in a friendly discussion during one of the learning sessions of their culture the elder nodded in acknowledgement.

K'rve watched as the two females turned from the food counter and started making their way to a table where other young bloods were seated. Standing up he barked across the room at the two and gestured them over to his table. Though he had physical training in mind, introducing more of their ways to both oomans could finally draw the healer into a challenge. Moreover, as now was their meal time, educating them now was as good a time as any. Having known that Cora was the one who had planned the attack against the queen hard meat, it had rouse his curiosity greatly and he was keen to see how she would fare in a challenge at her own level.

Having accepted both a warrior ooman and one who was quick witted was a rare thing to come across, and he mused at how the clan would move forward with the two females. With both oomans slowly making their way to the table, he briefly glanced over at both Kal'fa and Sorus before returning his gaze back to the pair. Hunting oomans who were both violent and intelligent always brought thrill to the hunt and had both their races met under different circumstances, Andree and Cora might have made the ultimate prey.

As leader of the clan, he had hoped to draw on their potentials during their stay here and supporting them in understanding more of their ways could hopefully assist in that. Besides if they were both able to challenge the young bloods, with each using a different approach, it could help break the mind set of other species being weaker as well as teach the young to respect the honor they received from their prey's skull. Grabbing the table nearby, K'rve pulled it over to join it to the table he sat at. While the oomans ate, he let Kal'fa and Sorus covered the basics of the yautja culture and customs. Both listened with keen interest about the upbringing of the pups, from initial training with the females to joining the hunt after reaching adolescence as unblooded.

K'rve observed as Andree and Cora each showed interest in different areas both warriors covered. He noticed that Andree had sat forward listening with keen interest about how yautja hunted in packs as well as the use of different weaponry. Whereas Cora seemed more interested in understanding about the eta yautja, who were crippled in some way and served other hunters on the ships.

Seeing that neither of the warriors had touched on the topic of finding mates, K'rve chuckled inwardly. Yautja were not shy in any way when it came to courting but as both females in this case were a different species both warriors seemed to be more reserved in their approach to such a topic. K'rve clicked at both warriors briefly before clearing his throat to get the ooman's attention. Time was not on the both warriors' side as no one knew when the missing hard meat would be found. As Sorus was the most proficient in the ooman language, he prompted the honored hunter to cover this topic.

Shifting in his seat slightly, Sorus watched as Kal'fa did the same before he started. Of the two oomans, he noticed that Andree seemed more interested in the information he presented and this somewhat worried him when Cora showed an apparent lack of interest to the topic. Pausing a moment, he sighed inwardly as if defeated. Perhaps if he approached the subject using a different approach he could get her attention on the topic. Tapping his upper right mandible briefly, he continued but tried using another means to rouse her attention.

Listening to Sorus, Andree briefly glanced over at Cora who had crossed her arms on the table resting her head on it while looking across the table at Sorus but occasionally looking over at her. It was interesting to know that only after a hunter had been blooded would they be deemed able to court and mate with females. Also, it seemed that the yautja females only preferred warriors with great honor and skill to bear their offspring. At the mention of trophies used primarily to prove a male's honor and impress the females through using the skulls as a show of skill and prowess, Andree felt Cora squirm beside her slightly.

It was with great pride that yautja warriors proved themselves with their kills but this was clearly not the right approach with Cora. Sensing the obvious unease in the female before him, Sorus looked away, thinking of how else to approach this topic before settling to cover an area that would possibly help both his and Kal'fa's situation. "In our culture, both hunting and mating are equally important. The kills from our hunts and our status are used for courting and our females focus on bearing of strong offspring while males usually focus on continuing the bloodline and can have several mates at any one time. Also, mating for us is seasonal as the females only come into heat for about three months. " Pausing for a moment his gentle gaze fell on Cora, lingering there, before he continued. "However, in some rare cases yautja seek for lifemates over seasonal mates. When two share this bond they only have that one mate and share the rest of their lives together."

Seeing that Sorus had finished, K'rve allowed a moment of silence to let both oomans take in all the information before slowly rising from his seat and barking out for all to return to the _kehrite_. With everyone moving out, Sorus stayed seated when he noticed that Cora made no move to follow in observing the training. He was certain that she wanted to talk about something that was brought up in their education session and waited with her till all had left the room. He was silently glad they would have more time in private but this did not suppress the worry of her seemingly lack of interest in the last topic. Looking at the cold table in silence, he tapped his upper right mandible while in deep thought. Perhaps he should have mentioned that the search of such a mate extended outside of their race.

Taking the clawed hand that was outstretched on the table into her hands, Cora fingered an old scar on the back of Sorus' right hand. "I want to discuss with Tofvi and Hrael about operating on yautja who have displaced fractures that results in them becoming eta. My hands are small enough to carry out the necessary procedure in an operation to help the bones heal properly and prevent them from becoming crippled." Moving his clawed hand from her, Sorus stood up and walked over to the other side of the table. Despite wanting to embrace her in his arms, he chose instead to lean down and press his brow against hers. "You are a skilled healer in the ooman world and have proven to be just as skilled here. I believe you can do anything."

Putting a hand on one side of his jaw, Cora turned slightly and planted a gentle kiss beside his lower mandible, speaking softly, "Thank you for believing in me." Letting out a soft sound that resembled something between a whine and purr from her touch, he felt a burst of painful longing in the depths of his heart. To him, she was not only a healer for physical injury but for the pain he endured in his heart as well. Feeling her pull away he reluctantly moved back as she stood up. Seeing a purposeful look in her eyes he remained silent, waiting for her to speak first. "Sorus, I know I'm suppose to rest today but with the knowledge of how yautja become eta and knowing that I can do something to help prevent that, I need to talk to the healers. I need to convince them to allow and support me to conduct such an operation."

Walking toward the entrance, Cora noticed that Sorus was slow in following and surmised that he was going back to the _kehrite _to train. Turning slightly, she bowed her head in gratitude. "Thanks for spending the day with me, I really enjoyed your company today." Looking up to meet his gaze, she smiled at the silent statue. "I might be busy for a while but I'll see you during meals if I'm not stuck working on something." Taking a deep breath before letting out a sigh, he put a hand on her shoulder. "Alright, but don't overwork too much." With that he watched as Cora briskly walked back toward the medical bay. Fighting against his fears, the only comfort he found at the moment was the accomplishment of having her trust in him as a close friend. Still, before it was too late, he would have to somehow find a way to be more forthcoming without scaring her off while showing that his affections meant more than just being a close friend.

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On board his large space vessel, Darren smiled widely as he walked down the corridors. Despite the pain of Ethan's passing still heavy in his heart, the steady advancement of his plans could not have been better. Not one to waste time, he had immediately begun researching to increase his knowledge of both the xenomorphs as well as the yautja ever since claiming his brother's body. Though not being able to obtain every bit of information on both species, he had gathered enough to set up an action plan that would ensure the success of achieving his goal.

His search for a new queen had commenced immediately after discovering that the eggs Ethan secured for the second lab had failed to produce one. Entering his private study area, he picked up the small disk he'd left on the table yesterday and inserted it into his computer. It had only been three days ago when one of his scout ships discovered a massive nest in the caverns of a tropical planet in a distant planetary system that lacked the presence of man and learning of this had brought his spirits up for the first time the in past months.

At the very base of his plan, the xenos would be used as bait for the creatures known as the yautja. Looking at the images that indicated the many entrances of the hive, a cold smile that promised vengeance formed as he traced a finger on the form of a drone on the screen before him. The tables would soon turn. These proud beasts who claimed to gain honor through murdering others would soon become his prey.

It would be a little while more before the proper arrangements were made in the capture of the queen and for now he would settle for observing the hive's activities while locating the entrances to the nest. There was no doubt that many lives would need to be sacrificed for him to gain the female of the nest. Typing a short message to his minions spread out on the numerous planets he now owned, he smiled inwardly. For this phase of the project it did not matter that majority of his new employees held no trust for him. They were simply required to pass what seemed like harmless messages to call on volunteers for a hunt of the xenos. After all, there was no point in wasting precious resource and forfeiting the lives of those who were loyal to him. Putting up an irresistable amount of money up as a reward, for the those who lived through the hunt, he had done his part in keeping his conscious clear in letting the volunteers risk their lives from the dangers they would face.

Seeing that it would take time for the volunteers to slowly pour in, he turned his attention to the building of the underground facility that would hold the xenomorphs when captured. After making up his mind to use the xenos as bait, he had bought several planets so as to build a containment area for the xenos on one while use another for the interrogation of the killers. The location of the hidden facility had similar environmental conditions to the one they had found the nest in so the xenos should have no problems in settling in. Going through the details of the natural rock beneath the island, he grinned at the fact that the natural solid make up would prevent the drones from successfully digging their way to freedom. The cage was built purely to hold the xenos in for the sole purpose they were captured for. Bait. Much care had been taken when he had arranged for the facility to be built and he would personally see to it that it was flawless.

Despite reading the near success several scientists had over the xenos, he wasn't going to use any of their tactics as he had no intention of controlling them. The underground cage was massive and would allow the xenos to run around the area but prevent them from ever getting to the surface of the island. Being confined to an island would also prevent a major clear up of the area when the hunters had been captured. Hearing a soft beeping sound, he activated the visual communication to speak to the man who would assist in the capture of the yautja. "Darren, I have acquired all that is needed to put these predators out for at least a day. However, I will need for you to update me on how many you plan to capture so that I can ensure that there is enough of the drug." Nodding at Dave, he smiled. "Dave, I need more of my employees to be as quick in planning and organized as you are. I will update you when the cells for these _predators_are finished. For now I will first need to focus on the completion of the cage for the xenos."

Breaking the connection he glanced over the side of the table where a hard copy of Audrey's testing results sat. Though she had some success in the developing of more drones, the process was slow. Moreover, he did not like the fact that the xenos in her research were not as active as they should be. Grabbing the folder containing her findings, he filed it away to keep the desk clear. For now he would continue to invest in project Audrey was charged with. The drones in her care could perhaps be used to serve the new queen but this was too minor an issue to focus on now. His decision for Ethan's second site could be addressed later, at present there were bigger issues that needed to be tended to first.


	30. A different challenge

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 30**

A different challenge

It had been over a fortnight since Andree had risen in rank and her continued private training with the elder had drawn the attention of the few yautja that despised both her and Cora. Particularly a young blood by the name of Yedin who had caused a few uproars during the sparring sessions. It was an attempt to show that she was not worthy of her rank but even after she had beaten him several times he still did not back down. This had caused both elders to punish and discipline him in a manner that was deemed embarrassing. The young blood was made to help the eta with the cleaning and tidying of the pit as well as other common areas and this only infuriated him further.

Despite his constant show of disrespect, Andree paid little attention to him. Giving someone who was so narrow minded any attention was a waste of her time especially after she had attempted to go out of her way to befriend him on more than one occasion. And the lead elder, seeing that the situation had not improved over the first half week, had warned her to keep an eye out for Yedin. The elder in his wisdom had seen that this young blood could very possibly turn into a bad blood especially after he had been reprimanded by Kal'fa on numerous occasions for trying to make things difficult for her.

Walking down for the midday meal with the other hunters, she reflected on K'rve's warning. She was so lost in her thoughts that she'd almost missed Cora waving at her from one of the tables when she got to the dining area. It had been a few days since Cora had started joining them during meals again and when she did Andree observed that, more often than not, Sorus would be at her side.

Moving to sit beside Cora, Kal'fa's son, Kv'jol, as well as another young blood sat with them. It was at half time during their meal break when the other seniors had joined them. With their table already full, Sorus walked up to them and moved a nearby table to join it to theirs and as he sat, Kal'fa came up from the opposite end to join him. They had just sat in with them when Cora started talking about how she'd been planning to help some yautja avoid the fate of becoming an eta.

Looking at the young bloods in particular, Cora started, "Your culture revolves around hunting and for a yautja who is unable to hunt, it must be very humiliating. I have discussed with both senior healers and they have thought about letting me try the operation that we humans use to treat those who have displaced fractures or broken bones. I would of course be only managing the injuries that both Tofvi and Hrael have difficulties because of their large hands. This operation with your race's technology would prevent many hunters who have been injured seriously in a hunt from becoming eta."

Hearing this Kv'jol snorted. "Some yautja meant to be eta if they do not pay attention in lessons." Feeling unsettled at this statement Cora faced him. "But what if unforeseen events occur? No hunter should end up becoming an eta if it is possible." Tapping his mandibles in annoyance, Kv'jol grunted in disagreement.

Crossing her arms, Cora stared in defiance at the young blood. "Alright, I challenge you..." Before she could finish, Kv'jol laughed hard stating that she would not survive a fight against even the weakest of them. Hearing this, Kal'fa barked across the room to get his brother's attention. Those who knew that the female healer had planned the attack on the queen had been observing on the sidelines and this was the type of challenge they all had waited so long to see. When all heard that Cora had proposed a challenge, majority in the room turned silent as K'rve walked up to the table.

The young bloods started to crowd the table, leaving only a clear passage for the elder to get through. Nodding to acknowledge K'rve, Cora returned her attention to Kv'jol. Confronting him with a look that demanded challenge, she spoke calmly but firmly, "The challenge I propose is one that does not involve physical violence but the use of intellect." At hearing this clicking sounds could be heard echoing through the room. Cora turned to the elders before continuing, "With your permission if Kv'jol accepts this challenge then I will state the conditions of the challenge as well as determine the winner. All present here can bear witness to ensure that the results of this challenge is just and fair."

All heads turned to both elders. After considering this a moment Kal'fa turned to face her. "Contestants involved in challenge do not judge outcome for obvious reasons. However as this challenge is not a physical challenge you will be allowed to the determine winner. If either K'rve or I see the outcome to be unjust we will over rule it."

Cora nodded in acknowledgement before turning back to her opponent. "So will you accept this challenge?" This was new to all in the room. A fight with the use of intellect instead of physical combat was outside the norm for all clans. Though Kv'jol feared losing due to the unfamiliarity of this type of fight he could not turn his back on it for it would make him seem a coward. There was only one real option. The young blood hesitated for just a moment before accepting the challenge.

The young hunter sat opposite his opponent, shifting nervously in his seat. Seeing that young hunters were only experienced in group hunts Cora stated that the challenge would involve a discussion based on hunting in groups. Two key areas were to be covered in the discussion. The first was the use of tactics during the hunt to ensure victory but also to ensure all in the group resulted in minimal injury or death. The second was the identifying and analyzing of issues when organising a hunt on a completely unfamiliar terrain.

From the nature of her work on the wildlife reserve as well as being an activist sent out to several other worlds to preserve the continuation of various species, Cora knew there were many factors to consider. For one she had to learn to view things from a poacher's point of view in order to always be a step ahead. While aiming for the survival of an endangered species she was also often charged with the survival of her team members as well. From her observation of the yautja during the time on their ship as well as the discussions with both Sorus and Andree, she found that many only viewed issues pertaining directly to the hunt. With the exception of the more experienced hunters, factors that were not directly related to the hunt such as the hunting ground's neighboring terrain, other natural predators or the presence of other sentient beings would often be forgotten.

Most importantly, the survival of all in the hunt almost seemed to be ignored even by some senior blooded hunters. She had learnt that hunts were supervised by the elders to ensure the young gained experience. However their dogmatic view of only the skilled surviving prevented other potential young hunters the opportunity to prove themselves if they fell in cases of the unforeseen. Her aim in this challenge was not to shame the young hunter but to simply allow him as well as the others to see things from a different perspective. She was conscious that many might not appreciate hunting pointers from a human's view point but, if it would help save some of the young hunters a humiliating fate, she would get her point across.

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The challenge lasted well over an hour but no one left the room during that time. Silence filled the room as the young hunter found he could think of nothing else pertaining to the two issues nor find any cause to refute what Cora had laid out in regards to ensuring the survival of most or all in the hunt. As he bowed his head in defeat Cora gently placed her hand over his outstretched arm on the table and smiled widely when he looked up. "Well then, I will now declare you as the winner!" Loud clicks of bewilderment were heard through the room and Andree who was seated beside Cora also smiled at the young hunter. K'rve looked over the female healer and sighed. Despite his numerous encounters with oomans, he found himself in the same boat as the others in the room and was unable to comprehend the reason for this decision. "Cora, explain why you chosen this as outcome."

Turning slightly to face K'rve, Cora explained that the young hunter had already won the challenge the moment he accepted it. Looking at the crowd around her, she explained it in a manner that all the hunters would understand. "In a real hunt when faced with an unfamiliar challenge any creature would naturally fear the unknown. Most would rather back out and find an option that they are familiar with. Few would be brave enough to face the unknown." She turned back to look at Kv'jol who still avoid her gaze. "This young hunter has proven his courage when he chose to accept this challenge."

The young blood seated beside Kv'jol looked to meet Cora's gaze to address her. "If Kv'jol won when he accepted challenge why waste time to talk about hunt issues?" Clearing her throat Andree explained on Cora's behalf, "Was it really a waste of time? I'm sure everyone here learnt something from listening to all that was brought up in the discussion. Besides, when you go out to hunt now I'm sure what was said here might save your life someday."

K'rve nodded and stood. _"As this challenge had two parts in it, Kv'jol and Cora are both winners. It is true that Kv'jol has shown much courage in daring to take up such a challenge and has won in the first round. However, Cora has done well in the debate and is clearly the winner in the second part of this challenge."_Hearing this the young bloods standing behind Kv'jol patted him on the back while Kal'fa translated what his brother said to both females.

Clearly irate at the outcome of this a young hunter from the back of the group grunted. "Courage not found in such senseless challenges." All heads turned to the voice when Cora stood up and slowly made her way through the crowd to face the young blood. As she made her way to the young blood the yautja parted to clear a path, making her dimly aware that Sorus, Andree and the elders were following close behind her.

Looking up at the young hunter, Yedin, she stepped closer and spoke softly, "Courage is being afraid but still being able to step up to face the challenge no matter how significant or insignificant they seem." Though she had spoken softly, many of the yautja heard this and clicked in agreement. Anger clouding his better judgement at this response, the young blood moved forward to shove at her. Reflexively countering this threat Sorus grabbed Yedin's outstretched wrist and knocked him back while Andree quickly pulled Cora away.

Moving forward, K'rve held onto Sorus' shoulder before the situation got out of hand. Using a basic hand gesture he signalled Andree to leave the dining area with Cora causing all in the room to fall silent as the two walked out. It was clear to all that the acrimonious dispute started by this young hunter would not go unpunished. Stepping up to Yedin, Kal'fa growled at him, _"You still have much to learn." _K'rve then thundered from beside Sorus, _"You will clean all the young hunters awu'asa as punishment." _Angered by this Yedin stepped forward to protest. _"They are both prey why should such challenges be accepted?" _Stepping forward, K'rve roared and knocked him to the ground. _"Are you challenging me pup? I was the one who permitted the challenge. If you ever show such disrespect again you will forfeit any chance of hunting for the next month." _

Slowly getting up, Yedin bowed his head in submission. Turning from the young blood both elders walked out the room, leaving Sorus to stare down at him as the crowd started to disperse. Taking a menacing step forward the senior snarled viciously at the young hunter, letting out a threat of his own. _"If you attempt to touch the ooman healer like that again I will personally see to it that I hand out your punishment." _Finally left alone in the room, Yedin cursed the oomans beneath his breath and swore that he would get back at them for making him suffer this disgrace.


	31. For the future

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 31**

For the future

Five months had now passed without any new information on the missing hard meat. Though the missing _kainde amedha _had been on their minds, K'rve saw the benefits of the blooded oomans being on board the vessel and did not mind this extended search. No matter how long it took the situation would eventually be dealt with once they located what was lost. Walking into the meeting area at the start of the day, the leader looked at all the senior hunters who were now gathered to discuss the progress of the two oomans. Including Kal'fa, both healers, Sorus and two of the more senior blooded were present.

The progress of individuals that were blooded were not usually discussed, however the situation in this case was exceptional. Being the leader of the clan he knew that many yautja, especially young ones, would not take kindly when trained by oomans. Despite the fact that elders could make decisions on the rising of each blooded individual within the clan, he respected the opinions of his seniors warriors and would gain their feedback on the performance of both Andree and Cora before deciding whether either should be encouraged to up their input in training.

Looking at each hunter, he listened as they each voiced their concerns and opinions. In general most of what was said was positive and all agreed that both females were unique in their own way. They had all agreed that Andree stood out more due to her character. Her ability to adapt to the yautja fighting style as well as her training techniques had taught many how they could counter their opponent and this had eventually caught the attention of many warriors. There was little doubt that her role in training would continue to benefit the clan.

The healer ooman though not a warrior had initially been thought of by most as being of little use to the clan. However, Cora had proven to be a skilled healer. She was able to improvise in dire situations, such as when she first met the hunters, without proper medical supplies and was fast in learning yautja healing techniques as well. And as an ooman, her hands were small which came in handy when treating injuries that were difficult to manage with the much larger yautja fingers.

Much like Andree, Cora had used many unfamiliar healing techniques oomans used and incorporated it in her ongoing training as a healer. Her harassment of her senior trainers to gain support in operating on fractures had come to the attention of the elders as well. After having learnt about the eta, the ooman healer appeared keen on helping the survival of the hunters. Moreover, in the challenge proposed to Kv'jol many weeks ago, she'd shown hunting knowledge and tactics on the level of highly experienced warriors. Using her gentle but firm approach, Cora had been able to indirectly teach the young hunters at looking at the hunt from different angles.

Despite the advantages of conventional training methods, in his years of experience as an elder and training countless generations, he was aware of the benefits that the new techniques had brought to the clan as a whole. Their methods though different had not only assisted in the clan's standing but ensured more of their clan lived through dangerous hunts. Having seen the improvements in the young bloods, he felt it was an auspicious time to share the techniques these blooded oomans used in other clans as well.

When his turn came, D'fal stepped up adding to what had been discussed. _"They both seem to have a sense of authority about them. Andree because of her unique fighting ability and being quick-witted, and Cora due to her calm intellect." _K'rve nodded at D'fal in agreement. _"Yes, I concur, it would be good to let Andree continue trialling other techniques."_With everyone nodding their agreement, K'rve looked over all the hunters before resting his gaze on Tofvi. _"What of Cora? Though she has increased her interaction with the other young hunters, up till now she will still not propose a challenge even when provoked by aggression. Like most here, I find her ability to indirectly teach the young bloods the use of intellect highly beneficial. What is your opinion of her?"_

Tapping a lower mandible in thought, Tofvi looked over at Hrael who returned his gaze as if in acknowledgement of what the senior healer was about to say. _"Elder, having trained her for many months now, I believe Cora has a unique way of viewing the world and situations in life." _Pausing a brief moment, Tofvi unconsciously brought a claw up and lightly ran it over the small scars of a mandible that was treated by the young blood training under him.

On a recent hunt he had injured his left lower mandible badly and had it not been for her assistance, it would not have healed properly. He was very grateful to her and wouldn't mind seeing her show more of her abilities in challenges. Returning his gaze to K'rve he continued, _"__If she will not challenge the youths then perhaps Andree could encourage more discussions or debates with her when the young are present during their breaks. That might help at least some of the young seated around them to learn something." _Considering all that was said, K'rve decided. Meeting Kal'fa's gaze, the lead elder spoke with calm authority, _"Under supervision Andree may continue training the young using her own methods but as for Cora, perhaps you could speak with Andree and suggest for her to ask Cora in engaging more in debates. We will let both oomans duel during meals." _With clicks and nods of agreement, K'rve dismissed the group. Yes, pitting both oomans against one another would be an interesting duel indeed and it was one many had been hoping to see for some time now.

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After their nightly training session, Kal'fa sat down on the floor with Andree sitting close by. For most of the day he had been thinking of how he would approach her and tell her of what was discussed in the meeting earlier in the day. It was hardly a suggestion when K'rve had asked him to 'suggest' this idea to Andree and much as he would have liked to see both females duel, he did not want to force the idea on her. Looking down at her, he gently brushed the back of one finger on her knee while speaking with a calm that did not reflect his pounding heart. "Andree, the senior warriors and I have recently discussed the rapid progress you and Cora have made. You have done well in the training of the young bloods but Cora..." Turning slightly, Andree leaned in closer to Kal'fa with a hint of playfulness in her posture. Tilting her head to one side, she glanced sideways at the elder smiling and finishing his thoughts outloud, "So...all of you are eager for a friendly challenge between the two of us?"

Pulling back to see her more clearly, he nodded. Noticing the change in her posture, he grinned inwardly and prepared himself as she suddenly lunged forward to tackle him. He let the small female pin him to the ground with both hands grasping firmly to his shoulders while pressing him down with a knee on his chest and the other on his hip. He watched her grin widely as she slowly moved her face closer to his and heard her softly whisper, "Elder, if you admit your defeat to me, I'll consider asking Cora to a challenge."

Twitching his upper mandibles in amusement, Kal'fa, despite having his shoulder pinned, brought his clawed hand to her hip and raising his other hand up with relative ease, slid it behind her head as if to caress her. In a blink of an eye, he pulled her close and flipped her beneath him. Pinning her down with just his hands, he smirked as he settled to sit beside her. "As skilled as you are, you still have much to learn young one." Slowly studying her expression, he smiled inwardly at her continuous attempts to defeat him.

Despite having spent almost a half year on the ship, neither had raised the issue of how they felt but it was clear as time passed that both had undoubtedly developed intimate feelings for the other. Staring up at the yautja over her, Andree wriggled and tried to get out from being pinned but it proved futile. Holding her down on key joints of movement, he held firmly to her hip and shoulder, mirroring her earlier move. Sighing in defeat she nodded. "Alright, I'll ask but its up to Cora if she's going to accept the challenge or not." Moving off her, Kal'fa laughed softly as he released her.

Standing up, Andree stretched before heading back to her room. Just before she reached the entrance, a clawed hand on her shoulder made her stop. Kal'fa leaned down and gazed at her with slight concern showing. Taking a deep breath, he spoke slowly as if being careful with his words, "You told me long ago that you almost always lose to Cora in debates...does challenging her bother you?" Taking his clawed hand and squeezing it gently, Andree smiled up at him. "We're very close friends, winning or losing in a debate or any other sort of challenge won't bother either one of us." Reassured that this situation had not displeased her in anyway, he nodded and let go of her shoulder. Walking beside the female, that he hoped to soon claim as his mate, he smiled warmly at the slow but positive progress between them.

It was clear to him that many of the hunters on board had begun to fancy her but there was little cause for worry as he felt assured that she only had feelings toward him. Having observed her through most of each day, he had seen that her relationship with the other males was purely one that was common between warriors. Besides, mating season was a mere month away and that would draw the other hunters' attention from her. He had no reason to worry. Despite her show of uncertainty to his approaches on occasions, he could sense her desire to be with him. It didn't matter what her uncertainty was, he would approach her about it when the time was ripe. All that mattered now was focusing on making her his sole mate and preferably before mating season started. It would make it much easier to avoid fighting the aggressive females as they would no doubt leave him alone if he had claimed a lifemate by then. He had no need for other females and Andree being a blooded warrior, if she agreed to be his mate, would always be with him.

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It was a mere four weeks left before the project was due for review and Audrey was keen to get off this icy planet the moment Darren had reviewed this project as he promised he would at the six month mark. Sitting down in the control centre she typed in the necessary codes to open the communication link with his space vessel so she could update her employer on the current situation. Seeing that channel finally open and that the connection was finally made after five long hours of trying, she cleared her throat and prepared to speak as the visuals of the screen showed a rather annoyed looking Darren staring coldly at her. "What is it now Audrey?" Swallowing a little nervously, she tried to maintain her calm as she spoke, "As per the report I gave you over a month ago, the drones here appear weaker compared to the ones at the original site. Since people are going to be sent here for this project anyway why do you not reconsider sending healthy hosts?" Narrowing his gaze, he declined her request yet again. "I have told you before that the healthy are easier to track and I will not risk the project being exposed."

Darren slowly tapped his finger on the desk as an uncomfortable silence hung in the air and moved to speak first. "Instead of sending healthy people as hosts, the next best option I am able to offer is to increase the quantity as well as send people with mild illnesses." Narrowing his gaze, he added, "With extra hosts to arrive in the coming weeks, the results of your project had better be good." With that he abruptly broke the connection.

Glaring at the blank screen before her, the female scientist fumed. 'How could he continue to expect good results from sickly hosts?' Taking deep breaths, she slowly calmed herself. It would only be a few weeks more before her release and if it meant trying to produce more drones then she would let Darren have his way. After all, with the hope of more potential hosts being sent in regularly, it would soon mean her freedom and this was something she had been looking forward to for a long time now.

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Opening a new channel to communicate with the transport vessel floating close to his own ship, Darren grinned at the progress of his plans. Audrey's project was only a backup in case this one failed and with the way things were coming along failure didn't seem to even be an option. Having observed the nest for weeks, neither he nor his staff could find any means to capture the queen successfully. However, the vast number of responses received from volunteers was phenomenal and this was something he had not anticipated. With the huge number that were keen on coming on board for this phase in his project, he had altered his original plan to achieve his goal. It mattered not that he could not have the queen, so long as he could obtain her precious eggs that was all that mattered and the number of responses would come into play in his new scheme.

Seeing the channel open Darren looked at his second in command, who was on board the slightly smaller transport vessel. "Dave, have all the volunteers been updated on the plans yet?"

Looking at the screen a man in his late forties, showing a face that held no expression, gave a curt nod in affirmation before replying in his deep voice, "Yes. They have all been evenly separated into the five ships and each vessel holds no more than thirty five people. All five vessels will touch down at their allocated hive entrance in thirteen hours and they have been briefed about the situation as well as informed that once they have touched down the vessel will not be able to operate for take off for a half hour."

Smiling widely at his grim looking second in charge, Darren nodded in satisfaction. "You have done well as my second in command. I look forward to your update once you have completed your own assignment." Breaking the connection, he turned from the screen. Closing his eyes briefly, he took a deep breath to calm his excitement as six of his ships slowly made their way to the planet that held the massive hive. It had taken much planning and patience on his part but everything was going smoothly and according to plan.

Having well over a hundred volunteers had greatly helped in the success of his plans. With all five smaller ships landing at separate entrances, drawing the queen's army and distracting them, Dave would wait for a while before blowing away a chunk of the cave closest to the egg chamber and collect as many eggs as possible. There would be minimal guards to defend the egg chamber once the battle started and all machinery on board the transport vessel had already been well prepared in the gathering and moving of the eggs into a secured compartment in the belly of the vessel, where the eggs would lay dormant. There was really no loss on his part as he expected no one from the five volunteer ships to come out alive, despite being armed heavily.

Opening his eyes, he softly tapped his finger on the table considering the rare chance of anyone surviving. It wasn't an impossible feat to survive for a short half hour especially when each ship was heavily loaded with advanced weaponry. The volunteers had only to survive till his team on the transport ship filled it with the xeno eggs. Smiling inwardly, he spun another web to his plans. If any from the five vessels were to survive, he would honor his agreement and give them their reward. But it was not without a catch; he would 'invite' them to work for him. This would save time him in gathering more resources as well as eliminate the option of his plans being released to others. If any of the survives refused...well they would simply have to be executed; there was no way he was going to let his plan slip now that he was starting to finally pull everything together.


	32. Pitting them against each other

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 32**

Pitting them against each other

All were present during their meal the next day when Andree, sitting opposite Cora and Sorus, asked her friend if she was willing to have a friendly challenge with all the yautja present. Some of the yautja sitting nearby or standing around heard this and looked over at Cora. The elders who were seated at the next table also turned to look in her direction, awaiting her response. Sensing the growing tension around her, the ooman healer sighed at being pressured into another challenge and leaned forward so she could face K'rve who was seated in the next table. Tilting her head down in a show of deep respect, she began slowly, "Elder, I thought our break time was meant for both Andree and myself to learn more about your culture." It wasn't a question but a statement, and she hoped the elder would see her reluctance in the situation.

Returning her gaze, K'rve nodded in affirmation before calmly replying, "Yes, it is time meant for education but challenge between oomans can educate yautja in ooman ways too." Inclining her head down slightly, Cora considered the elder's words in silence as some hunters started to crowd the table. A few young bloods clicked with impatience but a growl from Sorus silenced them instantly. Cora had her right to decline. Looking down to see the female nod at him in thanks for his assistance, he chittered softly to her; letting her know she had his full support regardless of whether she accepted or declined the challenge. He would allow no one to undermine her right as a blooded in choosing her own fights.

After thinking long and hard Cora decided. Instead of having a verbal debate, she would use the concept of hide and seek as a physical challenge with Andree. Looking over at her friend, Cora grinned and quickly explained what she had in mind. Andree returned her grin and nodded as she listened intently to how this child's game would be adapted and modified. Getting the elders' attention the ooman huntress informed them of the practical challenge that would be held. Then clearing her throat, Andree explained the rules and conditions, "Cora will play the role as prey and will run and hide somewhere in the ship. I will be the hunter and try to outsmart and track her down. This challenge will last for fifteen minutes and Cora will have a three minute head start before I give chase. I will only use a mask and will need to capture and bring her back to the dining area before the time is up."

Hearing this the young bloods thrilled and clicked in excitement. None had expected the ooman healer to come up with such an unusual physical challenge and all were keen to see who would triumph in the match. Not far from the oomans, Yedin and another young blood growled aggressively at their fellow yautja. Clenching his fists tightly, Yedin voiced his anger and displeasure to others of his kind, _"It is unfair if only both oomans are involved in such a challenge. They are bound to cheat." _Standing next to the angry young blood, D'fal growled and shoved at him in aggression. _"What exactly do you mean by that? They are both honorable. How dare you imply that either of them would cheat?"_

Hearing the commotion nearby Kal'fa growled at the arrogant youth but Cora stood up and asked the elder to let him continue. The honored classed warrior shifted closer to Cora, as Yedin continued, and glared at the insolent young blood while translating his words. "Yedin says you will let Andree catch you intentionally so as to allow Andree to rank up."

Smiling, the usually quiet female for the second time walked up to face Yedin with Sorus close behind her. Meeting the angry glare of the youth before her, she spoke slowly yet firmly so he could understand, "Since you feel it is an unfair challenge, I would like to raise the stakes. I would like to invite you and your friend to join this challenge as well."

Feeling the hunter behind her suddenly tense when the words left her mouth, Cora briefly glanced back and tried to reassure him with a gentle smile before returning her attention to Yedin. With the healers present, Hrael stood up to address his junior. "Cora, it unfair for three hunters to hunt one prey. Even in regular hunts..."

Before Hrael could continue Sorus flared his mandibles and snarled aggressively, correcting the healer, "Track and capture **not **hunt."

Sensing that the situation was getting out of hand, Cora raised her voice to get everyone's attention before other yautja could protest or step in, "Stop arguing! In a real situation prey are usually at a disadvantage anyway. It doesn't matter, it's only a friendly challenge so just let three of them come after me." Despite her efforts to reason with all the hunters it proved futile with the increasing growls and clicking sounding off from many in the crowd.

Getting up from her seat, Andree slowly made her way through the crowd to move closer to her friend. On reaching her, she gave Cora a worried look. The real reason everyone was making such a fuss of this was because they all knew from training sessions that Yedin and a few other youths would harm either one of them if given the opportunity and he would most likely do so now if given the chance.

Seeing that many of the yautja were still chattering loudly and noticing the air filling with the musky aggression of the young bloods, K'rve stood up and barked,_"K__i'cte!"_The room fell silent as the leader walked up to the oomans and Yedin. Sweeping his gaze over the female who initiate the challenge, he let his calm yellow gaze rest on her. He had to acknowledge her bravery but wondered if she was being foolish in upping the challenge just so this small fight could be quelled. Whatever the case this female had previously proven that she was smart and resourceful, and if she wanted to increase the difficulty of the match then she would surely have a way to deal with it.

Nodding at Cora, K'rve spoke with calm but firm authority, "Healer, your challenge in raising the stakes are acceptable." Then looking at the three who were to track Cora, K'rve growled slightly before addressing them. "She is not to be harmed if found. Now go collect your masks." Turning to the rest of the crowd he gave them a hard stare, raising his voice as he addressed them; clearly showing his anger at how this situation had resulted. _"No other yautja is to intervene in this challenge. If any other protests he will be punished."_

Watching the three walk out, Sorus worriedly glanced at Cora who seemed surprisingly calm when the argument had finally died down. As everyone slowly settled, he grasped her elbow to turn her around and face him. He had to warn her about the dangerous young blood who clearly hated her kind. "Cora, that young blood..." Before he could continue, she smiled reassuringly and cut in, "I know about Yedin. Andree and a few blooded I dined with mentioned him often enough." Nodding in understanding, he squeezed her elbow lightly before releasing her and backed away as she moved to prepare. So long as Cora knew who she was up against, he would have less to worry about. Though anxious, he had faith that she would conjour a strategy to tackle this challenge. After all, she had shown success not only in the queen hunt but in other challenges on board the ship as well.

Waiting for the hunters to return, all heads turned to Cora to watch how she would prepare as prey. And as if she were the prey among them, all eyes followed her every move as she walked to the empty side of the dining room to stretch her muscles. After she warmed up, Cora casually moved over to the food counter to get a large container of water and two small cloths. The strips of cloth were used, by the yautja like serviettes, for cleaning the inner mouth and between mandibles after meals. Looking at the small stack of neatly folded cloths, she picked out two of the longest and thickest. Tying the cloths to her ankles, she sipped the water while slowly making her way back to the group of yautja to wait for the hunters to arrive.

When the three hunters slowly walked in, Cora took a deep breath and moved to entrance of dining area while she continued to sip the water. Kal'fa called the hunters to him to wait at the table. Holding a device smiliar to the wrist computer in his clawed hand he looked up at Cora. Tapping two buttons on the device he barked out, "Go!"

All watched as Cora ran out of sight, following the corridor as it curved round to the left a short distance from the entrance. Silence filled the air at the 'prey's' departure and the three stood side by side, shifting uneasily at the building tension. As the seconds slowly ticked by, Andree calmed and prepared herself while the two young bloods continued to shift impatiently beside her. The moment Kal'fa barked at them to begin their hunt, at the three minute mark, all three hunters swiftly ran out the room.

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After Cora had dashed out, she quickly made her way to the male bathroom situated between the pit and the dining area. It had taken her just over a minute to get there. Emptying most of the contents from the container down the corridor as she closed in on her destination, she quickly threw the bottle down the corridor that led deep into the ship. She was hoping that it would make it seem as though she had dropped the bottle of water while hurrying and had naturally let the contents leak out.

Moving to grab a towel in the bathroom Cora dampened it with cool water. Bending down she quickly wiped the floor, starting at the entrance and moved deeper into the bathroom to cover the heat signature left by warm foot prints. Hiding in a corner, she untied both cloths around her ankles and folded it several times before pressing a small symbol in the wall that allowed the release of a little water from an opening nearby. Pouring a little water on the both cloths, she worked to make a third of the layers damp. Quickly removing her shoes, she wrapped the damp side against her foot leaving the underside that was to touch the ground dry. Having learnt how the hunter's masks worked, she had aimed to remove the most obvious traces in eliminating the tracks of shoes prints as well as her heat signature. Also, with the cool cloths tied to her feet, it would prevent leaving any heat signature of her footprints when she walked.

It was just over the three minute mark when she had finished her preparation and she patiently waited for the hunters to pass by this room. She only hoped that if one of the hunters decided to check a room this close to the dining area it would be a brief check. Smiling inwardly, she kept her fingers crossed at the plan she had laid out. Even before she had raised the stakes, she knew there was only a very slim chance to outrun Andree. Now with three hunters on her tail the possibility of evading them was most definitely gone.

Smiling to herself, she reflected on the mental note she kept as a constantly reminder when she planned against human poachers – not being able to outrun them or not having better equipment certainly did not mean that she could not outsmart them. Listening intently, she felt the slight vibration on the floor as both younger hunters ran past the room and went further into the massive ship. A moment later, a third set of footfalls came and briefly stopped outside the male bathroom before heading off in the general direction that led further into the belly of the ship.

Waiting for half a minute longer Cora silently made her way to the entrance of the bathroom. Peeking out to make sure no one was in sight, she decided to slowly head back to the dining room. As running would only create sound and give rise to her body heat, she chose to walk briskly instead. Looking down at her watch, she noted that it was now at the five minute mark and by this time she was fairly certain that the three should be searching deep in the ship and not close by. Making her way back down the corridor, she couldn't help letting herself giggle a little; the dining area would be the last place they would expect her to hide.

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All the yautja waited patiently in the dining area as time slowly passed. At half time, the sudden appearance of a small silent figure slowly walking into the dining area caught everyone's attention and loud clicking could be heard echoing through the room. Cora, hearing the sound they were making, put a finger to her lips and hissed at them, "Quiet! The hunt is still on." Ignoring all the yautjas' surprised and amused stares she continued to walk toward the serving counter.

Stepping up on the chair closest to the counter, she steadied herself before jumping onto the counter and down on the other side. The eta served meals behind this counter and as there were only storage areas to keep the food and waste, this made it the perfect spot to hide for the moment. Even while she moved around behind the counter to search for a suitable hiding area in the storage compartments, she had to make sure that only her cool feet came in contact with all that she touched.

Before squatting down to hide behind the counter, she stared back at all the yautja who were still looking at her. Glaring at them, she whispered harshly, "Don't look at me! Focus on something else, all of you are not suppose to intervene in this hunt so stop staring here." Then shaking her head slightly she hid behind the counter. Light clicking and chuckling could be heard from a few of the older hunters as they saw her disappear behind the food bench. No one would have guessed that Cora would return to the start point to hide. And now only intelligence on the hunter's part would allow them to find their prey.

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Running down the long corridor to a specific destination he had long desired to enter, Yedin let the other two hunters continue their tracking of the ooman prey. He had it in his mind to find the opportune moment to break into the medical bay to steal two particular drugs and now was the best time to take action. With the exception of a blooded piloting the ship in the control centre, all the other yautja were present in the dining area, leaving him free of worry of being caught. All he needed to be cautious of now was being caught by either Andree or the other young blood.

Quickly typing in the code he'd observed the ooman healer put in after spying on her a few nights ago, he entered the room. Making a quick search of the storage areas, he grabbed the two potions he was looking for before hesitating a moment on a third. The first was meant for killing pain. The second was used for enhancing one's ability to concentrate on a task and allow the recalling of details while on a hunt. The last was a sleep-inducer drug. Picking up all three syringes and quickly tucking it away, Yedin quickly moved out of the room. He had just under four minutes left before the 'hunt' was over and he was not about to let anyone get suspicious if he returned overly late. Shutting the door, he dashed back to the start point.

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Searching all the places she could think of, Andree stopped to reflect on the places she had searched. Her friend almost always won whenever they had a debate or when playing a game of chess, clearly indicating the ability to think way ahead of the problem. Moreover Cora's high position in the wildlife organisation was due to her ability to think outside the norm. The ability to analyse situations and anticipate the next move the human hunters and poachers made often gave her silent friend the advantage and success in saving many endangered species.

Recalling the container of water left lying on the floor of the corridor not far from the dining room, Andree silently cursed herself for not taking more notice to this fact earlier. Cora must have used that to erase the heat signature left by her prints and must have hid nearby. The lack of prints on the ground had been nagging at her soon after the hunt began; now it all made sense.

Swiftly making her way back toward the dining area, she made a quick search of all the rooms situated close by the eating area. Frustrated that she still had not found Cora after having searched all the rooms near the start point, she frowned as she thought of the last possible place at the end of the corridor. _'Cora would surely not be hiding in the eating area.....'_Entering the dining room with less than a minute before the challenge was over, Andree made a quick scan of the room and briefly looked at all the yautja present. Her excitement grew when she saw the undeniable expression of some of the young faces. The look on the young bloods was a dead giveaway that Cora was indeed in the room.

With no signs of Cora between and under the tables the only place left was behind the counter. Quickly making her way over to the long bench, she jumped on top of the counter but was disappointed when she still saw no signs of her friend. Hearing the device sound off to indicate the end of the hunt, she lightly hopped off the counter top to the ground. Staring at the floor in defeat she crossed her arms, still thinking of where else Cora could be hiding. As soon as she started to move toward the group of yautja, someone roughly tackled her from behind and knocked her to the ground. Turning as soon as she hit the ground, she flipped and pinned down a laughing Cora who was half covered in waste left over from the morning meal.

Seeing this the yautja in the room roared with unreserved laughter at the scene before them. This match had not only been educational for all but had ended off with an unexpected and entertaining finish. No one had expected such a challenge to begin with and most had certainly not expected the 'prey' to outsmart three hunters who had the advantage in numbers as well as the use of their masks. It had been a true challenge and one that all, regardless of their race, had thoroughly enjoyed.

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All waited for the two other young bloods to return before the group could be dismissed and both oomans could cleanse themselves.

Yedin was the first to return. Running in a minute after the challenge was over while the other young blood came soon after. Both hung their heads in defeat as Kal'fa calmly walked up to them. _"Both of you still have much to learn from Cora. She may not be a warrior like you but she has nonetheless outsmarted all three hunters in this challenge. Besides your fighting skills you must learn to use calm intellect as that will ultimately determine the winner."_

The other young blooded conceded to his defeat but Yedin though with his head bowed was far from yeilding. Yes, he would use his intellect. He would use his intelligence against the oomans who had disgraced him time and again. Yedin smiled inwardly as he began to silently plot his revenge in removing the pests that had come on board and defiled the clan's training methods.

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_**I hope this challenge was more entertaining than the previous one.**_

_**Also, the yautja and some humans will soon come together after a few more chapters. ;)**_


	33. Perceptions

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**.**

**Chapter 33**

Perceptions

With match now over, Sorus noted the sudden change in some of the blooded hunters' approach toward the female he was trying to claim as his mate. Several were making friendly advances toward her as she slowly made her way to the entrance and back to her room. Initially, he did not have to worry so much about Cora when she had first come on board as she drew no attention to herself. However, with her increased activeness in the challenges in the recent months, the spotlight often shone on her and had attracted the attention of a number of senior males. Though she seem not to take any notice of this and treated everyone equally it was very unsettling for him to watch.

Being a blooded female, he knew Cora could be pursued by any male who was blooded. And with mating season closing in, there would be several other ships arriving with more blooded, warrior class hunters and perhaps a few others in the higher ranks. Sorus had little doubt that once other senior hunters knew of her and learnt of what she had accomplished, they would attempt to court her and he wasn't prepared to lose his other half. Feeling his unease build up, he moved through the crowd with haste. The males that started to crowd around her were becoming more suggestive in their approach and he could tell that the female healer was looking uncertain and a little uneasy.

Upon reaching Cora, Sorus growled at the yautja milling around her to move aside. He could not even begin to express the joy he felt the moment she raised her gaze to meet his. Cora gave him a look of pure trust; conveying her silent plead for him to remove her from the current situation and take her to safety. Not one to let such an opportunity pass, he put a clawed hand around Cora's waist and drew her close to him in a protective manner before moving off with her toward the entrance of the room. If any were foolish enough to pose a challenge in the right to court her, he would have taken delight in using that as an opportunity to gain her favor by fighting them off. Leaving the crowd behind them, he left his clawed hand at its current position around her waist while they slowly walked back to her quarters.

Glancing back at the dining room just before turning down the corridor, Sorus was glad that Cora did not draw quite as much attention as Andree. Eversince Andree had ranked as blooded, she soon became a magnet to many. Several young bloods and at least two of the blooded on board had showed interest in her, but just like Cora, Andree never really seemed to concern herself with their approach. If he was worried about others courting Cora then he was sure that, despite Andree ignoring the advancements toward her, Kal'fa would certainly have more to worry about in the pursue of his female.

Walking in silence, Sorus continued to ponder about what other qualities Cora would look for in a potential mate. He knew she responded positively when he used a gentle approach with her and that she was grateful for his protectiveness when she was pushed around during the initial months on board. Still, he had felt that something was missing but could not figure out what more he had to do to draw her to him. It had concerned him that her treatment of him as a close friend had not advanced after so long and while he was glad that Cora was much closer to him than the others, he could not find the means to sway her heart and draw her any closer.

He had previously considered using a direct approach and wanted to ask her about what she found pleasing in a mate but had later decided against it. He did not want to scare her away....._however time was of essence_. Looking down at the young female, Sorus decided; he would ask her directly. All he needed to do now was to be careful in the way he phrased his words lest he made Cora turn from him.

As they continued walking, he noticed that the silence had apparently brought on a little tension as the smaller form walking in beside him turned slightly and looked up at him questioningly. Plucking up his courage, he started speaking slowly, "I was wondering if you could spare some time after the late meal today. I would like to speak to you about something."

Coming to a stop outside her room, Cora turned around to face Sorus. Looking up at her friend, she gave him a gentle smile before responding. "Well, we can speak now if you like."

Slowly sweeping his gaze over her, Sorus tapped his lower mandible in thought. She was still dirty from the match and would need time to clean down first. Also, he needed time to think about how he was going to put the questions to her. Shaking his head, he pointed to her stained clothes and spread his mandibles into a smile. "Maybe you should clean yourself up first, what I want to ask can wait as it might end up being a long talk."

Laughing softly, Cora nodded in agreement before turning to open the door. Glancing back she called out, "Alright, I'll see you later tonight."

After seeing her in Sorus turned to leave. Her lighthearted laughter continued to ring loudly in the foreground of his mind and he longed to stay by her side. Cora was truly a fascinating being; on one hand she was easily agitated if any male got too close to her on an intimate level but on the other hand she was completely carefree in her mingling with all the males during their rest times. He was beginning to wonder about her past and was curious if Cora had ever permitted any male ooman to have gotten as close to her as he did. From all their conversations, he seriously doubted it.

The very thought that he was probably the first male to breach her barrier of fear and provide her with comfort, pleased him greatly. Walking back down the corridor, thoughts of their upcoming meeting and the conversation they would soon have filled Sorus' mind. It would be difficult to concentrate on training the young bloods while thinking of their meeting tonight but for the very first time, he felt no guilt in allowing his thoughts to drift. The talk he would soon have with Cora could make or break his relationship with her, and right now this bond with her was all that mattered.

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After Cora entered the room and closed the door, she thought back to how Sorus was behaving over the past weeks. He had previously mentioned of the arrival of other ships and it surprised her to see that he appeared a little worried about it. Her friend had expressed his deep concerns about the upcoming mating season which seem rather strange to her especially since he had explained that as hunters moved into the higher ranks, females usually sought them out. She was confident that with his level of skill and having the status as an honored in the yautja race, he would have little to worry about in attracting a female but that did not seem to be the case.

It had taken Cora a while to digest the information but it made sense. Blooded males with lesser status needed to court the females. However, as the hunters grew in experience, skill and honor the females would seek them out in order to have their offspring sired by a strong male. Seeing that the yautja were sentient beings just like humans, it was easy to understand that both genders preferred a partner they perceived as strong and worthy. And from what she knew, yautja held deep respect for their females.

The respect could perhaps be due to the fact that female yautja were bigger and stronger, but she doubted that. From what Cora gathered in her conversations with Sorus, both male and female yautja, though appearing violent in nature, were extremely protective of females who were either pregnant or had babies, or sucklings as they called it. She had, hence, reasoned that the respect for the females was due to the fact that they were the ones who cared for and held the future.

Having grabbed a fresh set of clothes and a towel from the storage compartment, she slowly walked over to the shower area as she continued to reflect on the conversation Sorus wanted to have later that evening. Cora had a feeling that it would have something to do with the mating season, that was a mere month away, and she was keen to find out why he was so concerned about it. She had been certain that her yautja friend would have no difficulties gaining the attention of the females with his rank and prowess. And it made her wonder if all the other yautja on board had this nervousness and concern.

Putting the clean clothes to one side, Cora quickly removed her soiled clothes and dumped them in the hole in the wall beside the sink. Pressing in a symbol by the wall that looked like rain then another that resembled the rising of steamy heat, the oval door slid down to close over the hole in the wall and the washer/dryer in the bathroom started its cycle in cleaning the clothes. Stepping into the shower area, she commenced her shower while thinking about how else she was going to assist her dear friend in his situation.

Sorus must have expressed his concerns to her for a reason. As far as she knew, males in her race sometimes seeked support when they wanted to impress a particular female and her guess was that this was probably the cause of his worry. Whatever the case, she would ask Sorus about it and would do her best to help him out. After all, he had done so much for her already and this was the least she could do to assist and support him in attaining what he seeked.

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Kal'fa watched the two females from a short distance after the match was finally over. Several hunters surrounded both as they spoke and laughed at the outcome of the challenge. As Sorus took the young healer from the room, he himself started to move toward his intended mate. It was clear that the respect Andree had gained from the other hunters was due to her quick ability to learn and extraordinary ability to adapt while sparring.

Her adaptability had given her a fighting style that was unique altogether and this in itself would draw the attention of many males to her. Though he too was initially drawn in by Andree's prowess, overtime he had seen that she was worth more to him than just her skill. It had taken some time for him to acknowledge his feelings in the beginning but when he had found contentment in being with her outside of fights, Kal'fa had made up his mind to bind her to him as his sole mate.

Knowing Andree was attracted to him had given him less cause to worry about; in regards to her choice of a mate. However, the current attention from the other males on Andree had made him instinctively wary of them, moreover, being able to smell their desire for her did not help the situation. Being ooman she wasn't able to detect their pheromones and her friendliness toward many that had become her close friends was starting to affect him.

Moving closer to her, Kal'fa noted that the huntress simply did not seem to notice the infatuation some had for her as they started to prod and 'shove' at her in a friendly manner. It unsettled him further when she continued to laugh and talk with them. Though confident that Andree would pick him amongst all the males present, Kal'fa had to sternly remind himself that he still had not officially asked her to be his mate and she could accept another to be with her.

Not wanting his intentions, for the group around her to disperse, to be known, Kal'fa quickly devised an indirect approach. Sweeping his gaze over Andree, he smile inwardly at the approach he would use. He was certain that she would want to clean herself of the mess from her earlier tackle with Cora and this would be the perfect reason for her to be excused from the others.

Calling everyone to attention, Kal'fa barked for all to start making their way to the training area. Then turning his attention to the female before him, he nodded at her before giving his praise. "That was a good challenge and you were the only hunter who was closest to figuring out where the 'prey' was hidden." Slowly moving his gaze over her small form as she watched him, he smiled slightly as he continued, "I am sure you want to cleanse before resuming your training. Go now and return to the _kehrite _after you finish cleaning." Kal'fa kept his expression free of emotion while standing in the middle of the huge crowd but caught Andree's grin as she purposefully brushed past him while giving him a knowing look at the cause of the slowly dispersing crowd.

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K'rve quietly mused at Sorus' protectiveness over Cora in the general public as the warrior cleared the way for the healer ooman. It seemed that the warrior had at last gotten close enough to being able to handle her on what seemed like a more intimate level now. Despite some viewing Sorus as being bias and overly protective of the female, K'rve was certain that this honored class yautja was aware of this but couldn't care less about what others thought. This solitary hunter had finally found what he had been seeking for, after spending several lonely years of searching, and would do anything to achieve his goal.

Seeing the two leave the room, the leader swept his gaze over all that were chattering loudly in the room. Since taking the position as lead elder to this great clan, K'rve had never once witnessed a training session that all could truly benefit from by pure observation. As much as his kind hated to admit, majority of the young bloods only learnt their lesson when they experienced it with their bodies in battle. Also, the use of intelligence was only naturally developed in later years when the young bloods reached their prime and had enough calm to think clearly before acting. This entertaining yet highly educational challenge was of great benefit to all and K'rve was sure no one would forget it anytime soon. In fact, he was almost certain that it would become a story that would be told to the many generations that was to come.

There was also something else K'rve was certain of. If it wasn't for the fact that Sorus had discovered his lifemate in Cora, he was confident that he as well as many other senior hunters would have tried to claim her for a seasonal mate. It was not common to find a female who was unable to physically fight yet be exceptionally good in training the hunters to use something other than physical skills to obtain victory. And if this female healer had truly put in the effort to plan and provide input to the training sessions, like Andree had, the young bloods of this generation would no doubt surpass many before them and soar high in gaining honor from their hunts.

Turning his attention to his brother, K'rve smirked as he observed Kal'fa from a distance. His brother was trying to conceal his aggression while barking at the remaining males who were still lingering around Andree and were not yet making their way to the training area.

Slowly walking out with the remaining young bloods, K'rve tapped his upper left mandible in thought as he reflected on the characters of both oomans. The two were different in almost every way. Their character, personality and interests differed yet they were such close friends. In his own race, if yautja were so different they would never have been friends. The leader smiled inwardly as he reflected on this. To enable such opposing characters to bond so closely, Andree and Cora must have been rather opened minded to begin with and this was perhaps the same reason both females could adapt so easily to living on board with a species different to their own.

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Unnoticed by all the yautja walking toward the _kehrite_, Yedin had hidden away and used the very same hiding spot the 'prey' had earlier used while waiting for all to pass by. The urge to take his revenge on the warrior ooman had been building in him for too long and he could no longer deny his need to eliminate the annoying thorn in his flesh. He had been one of the favored students before her arrival but all had changed since that hunt. He would see to it that she was no longer a barrier between the elders and their students.

The disgrace he suffered was all due to the second-in-charge's unjust treatment of him. An evil grin formed as Yedin thought about Kal'fa's approach toward Andree over the recent months. It did not sit well with him to learn of the elder favoring this ooman on a personal level. It was unnatural to have such an attraction and in his eyes it wasn't right, for a senior such as Kal'fa, to show such a bad example. Both elders were great role models whom he had looked up to but these females had changed that as well as much of the clan. Both were too much of a distraction and were interferring with the clan's progression to greatness.

His decision was made and nothing was going to change his mind. He would simply have to do the honors and eradicate this distraction from the clan. The elder was obviously too blinded by Andree to treat fellow yautja fairly. And as far as he was concerned, having any pathetic _pyode amedha _join their kind was just pure wrong. Yautja was superior beings and needed nothing from other races. It wasn't right to bestow honor on a race that were their prey, regardless of whether they were sentient or not. When he finally purged the clan of the oomans all would come to see that he was the wise one among them all along.

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**_I am glad that so many of you are enjoying the story and have put it on your favourite story list._**

**_My personal thanks to all who have been giving their support through reviews and private messaging._**

**_As it maybe a little while before I post the next chapter: Dishonorable Actions (will take a while to rewrite some parts), I would like to give s_****_pecial thanks to the following people:_**

**tain89: **_For being a great support in the comforting reviews given to each chapter. Thanks._

**Zarsthor:**_ Thanks for all the detailed comments that assisted me in putting much more detail in the story as well as improve my writing style._

**Ginstar3: **_Great to know from the reviews what areas readers find interesting. ;)_

**Annie777: **_Thanks for your reviews - it helped me reflect/review what I had already planned for the story and continue to try and make it as realistic as possible. _

**GaiaMother: **_Thank you for giving me support especially in the initial chapters. You gave me the courage to continue with the story when I was a little uncertain at one stage._

**predator808: **_For the encouraging message you sent. Was lacking the motivation for a time but your gentle reminder helped boost my spirits._

**Pampers Baby Dry: **_For showing an interest in the story, thank you._

**ninac: **_Thanks for letting me know that I was able to write a convincing action scene_

**AVPfreak: **_Was great to know you like how the story was put together. ;)_

**ken: **_Was good to know your being keen in seeing an update._

**larsten: **_Thanks for letting me know that you liked how the characters met - it was tough thinking on my part, when I first came up with the story :)_


	34. Dishonorable actions

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**Chapter 34**

Warning – this chapter contains torture

Dishonorable Actions

Feeling refreshed after a quick shower and dressing in fresh clothes, Cora continued to dry her hair while seated on the bed. Hearing the door open, she looked up and smiled as Andree walked in and sat on the nearby bench. In her silence, she noticed that her friend seemed to glow in obvious happiness and it didn't take much to guess what might have caused this reaction. Observing the huntress in silence, she chuckled inwardly. Andree always had a lively and alert look about her and seeing her lost in deep thought was something very unusual indeed.

It wasn't the first time that her outspoken companion was innvolved in such a relationship but this time even she could feel that it was somewhat different. Andree came from a family that were rather well-off thus resulting in drawing much unwelcomed attention; namely gold diggers. Cora smiled when she reflected on how they had become friends. Coming from an average family, she usually despised people who lived off wealth and power. However, soon after they had gotten to know one another, Andree had shown that despite coming from a wealthy family, she still relied on herself for most everything. And this had ultimately earned her respect and allowed their friendship.

She for one could understand why Andree was so attracted to the elder. Kal'fa had gained their respect through sharing the knowledge of his kind as well as clearly showed that despite the differences in their races both their input in training was valuable. Also, the many friends they had gained during the past months was only made possible with Kal'fa's assistance and support. And she suspected that the respect and understanding the elder had shown them was what drew Andree's attention in the first place.

Still looking at the slightly dreamy look in the face before her, Cora couldn't help but understand her friend's choice in preferring the elder over someone from their homeworld. It was clear that people from home only wanted to be with Andree because of her background. And it didn't help matters that Adetifia, their homeworld, was owned by her friend's family.

Watching Cora sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, Andree gave her a purposeful look. Though she had admitted having feelings for the elder, she was still a little uncertain about what she was going to do in her current situation. Seeing that her usually quiet friend was always good at analyzing situations before taking action, she decided to seek Cora's opinion. "Do you remember the talk we had about Kal'fa a while ago? Well, I'm pretty certain now that we have some sort of connection between us. Do you think there is a possibility that we could be...umm...partners?"

Raising a brow at the huntress before her, Cora slowly stood up to put the towel away while considering the question. Turning from the storage 'cupboard' in the wall to meet her friend's anxious gaze, she replied in the most gentle and honest way to help Andree see an important factor that might have been forgotten. Something that they as humans value. "Do you remember what they said about getting mates? Seeing that the yautja usually have seasonal mates, do you think your attraction to him and perhaps his to you might be the rare attraction of what they define as lifemates?"

Slowly looking around the alien room given to them while thinking about Cora's words, Andree sighed and let her shoulders droop a little. "I...noticed that Kal'fa is slowly becoming more aggressive toward the males who approach me outside of our non-training times but-" pausing for a moment she nodded once, in agreeance with Cora before she continued, "-I guess you're right. Even if he was interested in me I don't know if it is a seasonal or a permanent thing and this is what bothers me. "

Seeing Andree turn silent and returning to deep thought, Cora moved to sit next to her and spoke the words that had her friend's mind occupied, "I'm guessing that if it's a seasonal thing then you won't accept it."

Letting silence reign for a short moment, Cora drew in a deep breath before softly adding another factor for Andree to consider, "If both you and the elder should choose to be mates for life, I think you should ask him what this bond really signifies in their culture. From what I gather, it seems to indicate that both parties are bonded to live and die together. If you really love him, are you sure you want him to die when you do especially when you know the lifespan of their race is so much longer than ours?"

Sighing deeply Andree looked down at the ground and admitted aloud, "I guess I haven't really given much thought into it." Taking a moment to process her thoughts, the once worried figure smiled at Cora. "You're right. I think I'm getting ahead of myself. Besides, I really should wait till he has shown some sort of clear indication before I dwell on such things."

Andree was glad and thankful that Cora was still oblivious to the feelings of those around her, particularly Sorus. With a clear mind, analyzing matters were often made easier; her calm companion had no idea how much it helped in the few pointers she was given to consider. It was a unique once in a lifetime relationship and there was indeed much to consider before she could truly and happily commit to something like that.

Grinning inwardly, Andree decided to return the favor and assist Cora in seeing the things that her ignorant friend was blinded to. "Alright, enough about me. How about you? Have you noticed any of the yautja behaving any different around you? Because in case you still haven't noticed yet, I seriously think that one of the more senior hunters on board seems to _really _like you." Carefully eyeing Cora, she then added an afterthought, "And I've got the feeling that he isn't attracted to you for winning in matches or being a great healer but plainly likes you as you are."

Pulling away, Cora stood up and looked down to see her friend smiling like an idiot. Rolling her eyes at Andree, she crossed her arms and shook her head, "If you mean Sorus then I think you're mistaken. Just like the relationship between the two of us, he and I are just really close friends. Like I told you before, I enjoy his company because he's different from the others and is more willing to listen."

Grinning at Cora's defensive speech, Andree countered, "Well, in case you haven't noticed, Sorus has been really protective of you especially today when you were uneasy in the crowd. Also, I have to say that after he learnt about the physical assult you went through, he seems to understand how you feel as well as how that incident has affected you."

Sighing at Cora's lack of insight to such relationships, she turned to a more serious tone, "I honestly think it's tough for any man to truly understand the way you shun from being handled because of the beating. And the surprising thing is, this high ranking honored warrior, who has seen so much violence, seems to be the only one who is able to understand your experience."

Standing from the bench, Andree walked over to the storage wall to grab a towel. She chuckled at the quiet figure who was frowning at her in disapproval before heading to the bathroom. Smiling softly at Cora, Andree patted her on the shoulder and added softly in passing, "I'm sure you'll see for yourself in time."

Sighing, Cora proceeded to head down to the medical bay. On leaving the room, she failed to notice the same yautja that played the role as hunter, in the match a half hour ago, skulking nearby.

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Yedin waited outside the ooman's room and watched the harmless female healer leave for the medical bay. After long moments passed he heard the familiar clicking sound before the door slid open. As Andree turned briefly to lock the door he silently and swiftly moved forward. He was stunned by her quick reaction to counter his move when he attacked; causing him to stumble a few steps back.

Anger started to rise when the young blood thought his plan had failed. His soft meat prey had turned to attack him at the last second when he jabbed half of the sleep-induce drug into her neck. Yedin clenched his fists and prepared as he waited for her to make the first and attack him. His rage and thoughts for a change of plans were swept away when he saw his prey falling to one knee and weakened with each passing moment.

Grinning at the success of his plan so far, Yedin walked up and lifted the female by the neck to see the extend of drug's affect. With only half of the potion injected, he was confident that his prey would be kept awake enough for the torment she would soon receive in return for his countless punishments due to her. Slinging her weakened form over one shoulder, Yedin walked briskly down the empty corridor to the medical bay so he could finish off both oomans there.

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On reaching the medical bay, Cora immediately noticed that Tofvi was frantically searching for something. This hunter did not like her initially but after her training under him in the first weeks, they had become good friends. Tofvi had come to respect her and had taken the time to learn much of her language to help further the training. He was usually calm and reserved, and seeing him searching around in an almost confused state was more than a little unsettling.

As she walk up to the senior healer, he turned his head to her briefly to acknowledge her presence. "What are you looking for? And where's Hrael."

Grunting more at the frustration of the situation than at her, Tofvi continued his search. "Things not in proper place when I return. Someone took something, I not sure what. And Hrael with K'rve talking about new drug for poison you perfected."

Growling, the healer yautja turned to leave the room. "I search pit. You stay here, wait for Hrael return. He see you about new potion after talking to elder."

Watching Tofvi make haste to leave for his search, she casually walked up to the bench with the potion she'd been working on the passed months. Fingering the small half filled syringe before her, the young healer thought back to the discussion she had with both senior healers before the midday meal. The three of them had tested the new drug on some of the poisons stored in the ship and it had worked perfectly, neutralising all the poisons it encountered efficiently. The only down side to the potion was that if it were injected into a person who was not poisoned then it would act like a regular poison, eating into the area and spreading.

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On his way to the medical bay, Yedin came across another young blood on the way to the _kehrite_. Before the other young hunter could react in any way, he moved swiftly and jabbed his hidden short blade into the yautja's neck. This young hunter would have to be sacrificed if the clan was to get rid of the oomans and he was sure the clan would understand his actions.

As he reached the door of the medical bay, a sharp bark from a short distance behind drew his attention. _"Yedin! What are you doing with Andree?"_ Turning to face yet another young blood, he watched without emotion as the other hunter narrowed his gaze and stared at the blade covered in thick _thwei _before returning his gaze to the ooman slung over his shoulder.

Seeing the flare of mandibles in realization at what he was planning to do with the female, Yedin frowned when the other young blood backed away and ran in the other direction instead of choosing to challenge him. The coward had ran from him! Cursing, Yedin quickly opened the door to the medical bay and prepared to use Andree as a shield in case the two senior blooded healers were inside. Noting that only the preoccupied ooman healer was the only one in the room, he quickly entered and sealed the door then ripped the control panel from the wall to hinder any who were to come and stop him. He would have to work quickly as that young blood had no doubt run off to inform the elders.

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Rushing to the _kehrite_, the young blood was stopped at the entrance by Ge'tur. The blooded hunter stared down at the young yautja, about to punish him for being so late in training but after hearing the revelation of Yedin's foul actions, he bristled. Turning to the raised platform, Ge'tur barked out to Kal'fa who was in the middle the training session.

Confusion filled the room at the abrupt ceasing of the training and Kal'fa moved swiftly to the back of the room to determine what sort of emergency this was. On learning that Andree and Cora were in grave danger from Yedin he quickly barked at Sorus to join him while signalling for the other blooded hunters in the room to stay with the young bloods. As Sorus reached him, Kal'fa gestured for him to follow as he moved to leave the room. Running swiftly down the corridor, Ge'tur quickly explained to both seniors what he'd heard from the young blood.

On the way to their destination, Kal'fa cursed when they saw the body of a young blood. Seeing no signs of life in the young male, they continued down the long passage. The dead did not need saving and the body would be cared for later. There was no doubt that Yedin was the one who had committed the dishonorable act and in doing so he had sealed his fate as a bad blood. As they ran on, Sorus barked at Ge'tur to head to the control centre and inform K'rve of the incident. With the blooded hunter making his way to the upper deck, Kal'fa roared in anger and quietly swore to rip the young male to pieces. They had to make it to their destination before any more tragedy rose from this bad blood.

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Seeing the ooman healer's back still facing him, Yedin quietly dropped a heavily drugged Andree on a table and moved forward to grab the other ooman who was still silently working at the bench. He had no doubt that Cora thought he was one of the blooded healers and had thus not turned around. Smirking at how easy killing these _pyode amedha _were going to be, he calmly walked up behind her and moved swiftly to grab her wrists. Dragging the stunned female to a corner of the bench, Yedin took out the thin chin he had kept in his belt and tied her wrists to the bar connecting the two benches.

Strolling back to the ooman that laid half dazed on the table, he pulled out the two remaining potions from his pouch. Injecting a third of the pain relieve drug and seeing the huntress shudder in response, he pulled his upper mandibles into a smirked and taunted her. "Pleasant?" For once he was glad to have learnt a few words in the ooman language as it now served his purpose well. Dropping the half used syringe, he pulled out the last drug and pumped it all in. Digging a claw into her shoulder, he dragged it down the length of her arm, drawing warm _thwei_; red blood that clearly showing how different their species were. It would take a few seconds for both potions to kick in and he would make sure that she didn't die in pain from the torture but still had enough sensation to feel it.

Still in shock from what happened, Cora looked up and immediately recognised the drugs the young male used, particularly the second. She herself was allowed to use the drug once to help in concentrating and memorising types of med kit solutions and how it was made, however, it was used under the strict supervision of both her seniors. This drug made every sense in the body more alert to its surrounding and helped tremendously with retaining of information. Trying desperately to help her friend, she twisted and tore at the chains restaining her. Ignoring Yedin, she shouted at the dazed figure to focus on her voice in a desperate attempt to draw Andree's attention away from her tormentor.

With Andree responding and trying to rip her right arm from Yedin's grip, Cora watched in horror as the yautja growled menacingly then violently yanked and dislocated her arm; filling the room with the sharp cry of pain. Standing over the table and looking down at the _pyode amedha _he could not comprehend why some senior hunters would pick oomans over yautja as mates. This race was clearly beneath them in every way. Grabbing a fistful of hair, he twisted her head to face him and spread his lower mandibles in show of an evil grin. Having been disgraced by the elders he would make her suffer the same before granting her a pain death.

Flipping the limp ooman over, Yedin ripped the clothing from her prone form and threw it aside. Using a hand to pin the neck of the struggling huntress against the table, he continued to taunt her; gently tracing the length of her spine using the talons of his free hand to indicate where the pain would soon be coming from. Leaning down to her ear he hissed, "You will suffer more..." Removing his claws from her spine momentarily, he formed a tight fist and drove it down forcefully against the side of her torso, snapping a few ribs in the process and causing her to scream out in agony.

Behind him, Cora twisted hard against the chains till her left wrist bled profusely and soon enabled her hand to slide out. After spreading the blood over the chain and soundlessly sliding her other hand out, she grabbed the largest yautja scalpel from a storage area above and prepared her assault. Watching Yedin carefully, she was dimly aware of the banging sounds coming from the other side of the door. Moving closer, she could see the young male positioning a clawed hand at the base of Andree's spine as if preparing to rip it out while her weakened friend helplessly trashed beneath the unmoving hold.

Having broken several ribs Yedin decided to end this torment in removing of his trophy from the now shallowly breathing figure. This would be his first soft meat prey and he would take her skull as his trophy. Laughing as her strength started to fail her, he positioned his claws at her tail bone. He would take pleasure in her screams as he slowly ripped her spine out while she was still conscious.

Before he could dig his talons into Andree, he roared out in agony and surprise when he felt a sudden pain erupt from the side of his hip. Throwing the ooman healer back into the bench, he looked down at the wound. She had not only thrusted the scalpel deep into him but has twisted it a manner to have it embedded and stay rooted in the muscle tissue, sending flames to fire from the deep intrinsic nerves.

Moving away from the form lying on the table, Yedin limped toward Cora, who was staggering away from him. Despite the pain, he lunged forward and grabbed her, then turning to the counter he snatched up the syringe containing the unknown substance she'd been studying on the bench. Ignoring her lashing arms, he lifted the healer up by the neck and injected the unknown serum in her lower abdomen. Sneering at the earsplitting scream from the effects of the unknown potion, he brought her down to eye level and pulled up a lower mandible in a snarl. "After Andree...you next."

Dropping her, he stood and watched as Cora crumple to the ground and moved into a fetal position, shaking violently from the intensity of an internal pain. Satisfied that he would not be disturbed by her again Yedin walked back to the table. Just as he was about to pick up from where he left off the door to the medical bay hissed open and five fuming seniors rushed in.

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The diversion created by the volunteers had proved to be successful with the accomplishment of capturing many xeno eggs in the first phase of the project. Despite many being sacrificed, Darren felt no remorse. With the exception of four volunteers surviving, everything else was going according to plan. As agreed, he kept his end of the deal and had paid the four. However, as they had seen a part of his plan he could not risk any of them report him to the authorities. All four were extended an invitation to join his staff. And with three of the four coming on board, he discreetly ordered the execution of the one who declined. Now only time would tell if the three were loyal to him, if they proved otherwise he would have them taken out as well.

Turning his attention to the information that was sent through about the xeno eggs that lay dormant, Darren silently smiled to himself. They were now well on the way to the planet that would bait the yautja and would soon be planted in the huge underground containment area. It would not be long now before the commencement of the next phase in his plans and he would have to ensure that the cells build for the predators would hold after their capture.

Typing a quick message to Dave, he updated his second-in-command on the progress. A massive underground extension had been built on the planet Enlor, holding fifty cells. The purchase of this system had cost him much but it had been worth it. The planet held a variety of species that were protected and he had bought it with this in mind; after all, there was less opportunity of his plans being discovered if he was to keep the yautja there.

Just like his late brother, Darren always planned ahead. Much of his time and resources had been used to get information on his soon-to-be prey. However without knowledge of where the killers' homeworld was, the need for interrogation and torture would need to come into play; and this was not something he would complain about. Unlike Ethan, he had no intention of utilizing the dangerous xenomorphs in the annihilation of the hated race. Staring icily through the thick glass into the cold blackness from the control centre, he smirked. The only way he could obtain full vengeance was through executing these murderous humanoids by his own hand.

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**Special thanks for the wonderful reviews.**

_**IluthraDanar: **It's great to know that you like the story and that you look forward to the new chapters. It brought me a smile to know you like the way it was progressing :)_

_**Ginstar3: **Your guess was right! I didn't bring Andree into the last chapter because she was going to have the conversation bit with Cora in this one. Also, any review helps. Even the shortest review can give much encouragement to the author in simply knowing that the story is liked. I personally enjoy reading about what people think about the story and am interest when they give their insight on how they think the story is going to progress. ;)_

_**Zarsthor:** Thanks for your guidance. When writing a long chapter, I often forget that I repeat the same info. Thanks for the gentle reminder._

_**tain89:** Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. Sometimes I'm slower in posting a new chapter even though I'm finished with it coz I'm certain that something can always be changed to make it better. Its great to know that you feel that I do a good job. _

_**Greenhemoglobin: **Thank you for your reviews. I'm glad to know that you found an interest in the story. :P_

_**Yautja's Blooded Pet: **I'm sorry I took so long to post another chapter. I needed to rewrite a few things to help the flow in later chapters. And I'm really happy to know that you like the story to the point of addiction!!!_

_**AdrenalineSource: **Thank you for your kind review. When I first considered writing a story, the plot was indeed a challenge to come up with. Despite it all being fantasy, I wanted to make it as realistic as possible. I'm glad that you like the flow of the plot. There's a twist later in the story and I hope it doesn't jerk the flow of it. _

_**GaiaMother:** Thank you for your review. I'm glad you like the story and are proud of it. I hope that all will go well for your grandfather and children. I can't see you and your family to give you comfort but I'll pray for you :)_

_**Guest: **Great to know you are enjoying the story. ;D I'm glad you mentioned about Cora being such an introvert. After reading many predator stories, I decided to develop a character that was on the other end of the scale - someone who was a regular person and would not catch a yautja's attention through physical abilities. Seeing that she's not a warrior/hunter, coming to understand the hunters would also be interesting adventure in itself. Oh...before I forget - I read the part in your review regarding Cora's chastity. In chapter 26 there was a brief mention of Andree informing Sorus that it was a physical and not a sexual assault. Also, I am grateful for your appreciation, and understanding that it takes much effort and time for people to write stories. And to address one other item mentioned in your review - **yes, there will be a lot more of Sorus and Cora in the coming chapters**. ;)_

_**infernothechinchilla:** Thank you for the wonderful review. It's nice to know that you like the characters - not something that is easy to develop. _


	35. Repairing the damage

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens and predator**

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_**Author's note: Sorry about the long wait. I originally planned to have this chapter split in two but later decided against it. As there are still many chapters to post before the completion of this story, I will be combining a few of them together to make each chapter much longer. But this will also mean taking a little longer before I post the next chapter. **_

_**This is the longest chapter I have posted so far. I hope you will all enjoy reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it!**_

**_._**

**Chapter 35**

Repairing the damage

Finding the door bolted closed and the control panel not working, Kal'fa and Sorus roared out in rage. They could hear the desperation in Cora's voice as she shouted out to Andree and it was not sounding good. With the hope that the females would endure a little longer, both yautja moved with haste to get the door open. Instead of pounding on the heavy door, Sorus ripped out the control panel on their side of the door. As soon as the panel was out, Kal'fa immediately rushed in to work on overriding the system.

A moment after K'rve, Hrael and Ge'tur joined them, Andree's scream torn through the silence. Hearing her agonizing cries the leader flared his upper mandibles in a rare show of anger and impatience, and looked at his brother in concern. Despite remaining focused in getting the door reconnected he could sense that Kal'fa's blood was boiling with increasing anger. And noting that the aggressive musk coming another male was just as strong as his brother's, K'rve shift his attention to the male clenching tightly to the broken panel.

It was clear that Sorus was just as enraged in the situation. And judging by the bloodlust in his eyes, K'rve could see that the warrior was on the brink of losing his self-control. All thoughts of trying to calm the two angry hunters were lost when an unexpected roar of pain came from the other side of the door. The first thought that came to mind was the possibility of the bad blood being taken out. However, this hope was shattered when an ear piercing scream sounded off a moment later. The pain must have been excruciating for such a sound to be made and it was obvious who the owner of the voice was. Having sent a message earlier, for Tofvi to immediately return to the medical bay, K'rve stared coldly at the door and could only hope that both oomans were still alive by the time the other healer came.

The moment the shrilled cry was heard, the broken panel Sorus held dented in sharply as he crushed it with one hand. Never had he any cause to truly hate any of his own kind, not even when he lost to other hunters while trying to impress a female for the first time. But now he felt the fury in him give rise to a cold bitterness. The arrogant young blood was the cause of the numerous problems in training sessions and had now injuried someone whom he had come to truly care for. If looks could do any damage, the very heat from his fierce amber glare would have melted the door.

The very thought of Yedin taking Cora's life had sparked a fear in his heart. Living with the loss of fellow hunters and even family was something that had been easy enough to learn since his training as a young hunter but the feel of this new experience was one that greatly unsettled him. Being a seasoned hunter he never had the need to fear the loss of anything. Yet the slight trembling of his clawed hands and the flaring of mandibles in anger betrayed his distress as well as feelings of hopelessness in the situation. And this was but a touch of the emotions he felt for the healer suffering inside.

In the cold silence that followed the fading cry of pain, Sorus dropped the panel and clenched his fists tightly. Had he the ability to change the past and prevent the females from suffering, he would have done everything to ensure nothing like that would happen. But alas he could not and dwelling on the past was unless. Hearing the familiar click in the door, he moved in just behind Kal'fa and got ready. He would ensure that the fate of the worthless male would rest with him; nothing else would appease his rage. This once promising young blood would learn the true meaning of suffering before death claimed him.

With the door finally opening, Kal'fa and Sorus were the first to rush in, followed closely by K'rve, Hrael and Ge'tur.

Seeing that Yedin about to deliver a fatal blow to Andree, Kal'fa rammed full force into the smaller male causing him to slam into the back bench and put a dent into the supposedly rock-hard material. Leaving the others to see to the bad blood, the second-in-command stood beside the table the injured huntress was lying on and immediately started to tend to her injuries. As much as he would like to indulge in carrying out the punishment and release his pent up anger, the fragile life before him required his attention first.

Ignoring the roars coming from Sorus and his older brother, Kal'fa quickly grabbed the healing salve from the bench nearest to him. Not knowing what internal injuries Andree sustain without the use of his mask, he slowly flipped her onto her back, careful not to cause more damage. The only obvious injuries were the dislocation of her right arm and the open wound on her other arm. Eyeing the length of the wound, he was about to apply the salve when Andree suddenly lashed out at him, further opening the wound and causing blood to splash onto his chest.

Despite wanting to hold her down by force and apply the healing salve, he could not risk Andree struggling and result in the likelihood of causing more damage to other internal organs. If the female's labored breathing was anything to go by, he would have guessed that Yedin had probably broken a few of her ribs. Stepping back a little, Kal'fa noted that she seemed to breath a little more easily when he was not in her visual field. Flaring his mandibles and raising his heated gaze to the one responsible for this, the elder made a silent promise to himself that the youth would feel his wrath. Instead of charging in, he chose to remain where he was for now and waited for the tensed huntress to calm down.

He was being forced to watch Andree suffer. Neither he nor the other yautja would be able to approach and help her heal or provide any form of comfort; not while she was incoherent and so agitated. Narrowing his gaze at her state of undress, Kal'fa growled low. Focusing solely on tending to the female, he scanned the room for something to cover and keep her warm. Spotting a fur blanket lying on the workbench behind him, he snatched it from the table. Throwing it over the trembling form, Kal'fa made sure to keep out of sight as he provided the only means of comfort to the female. Moving his gaze to where Yedin stood with K'rve, Kal'fa growled when he heard the bad blood's words.

The moment Yedin slammed into the bench, Sorus was immediately onto him. In the urgency of the situation, the elder had acted to protect the huntress and had not seen the small form lying on the ground by the back bench. Even as the young male lay dazed and sprawled out on the ground, Sorus saw the coward's talons make a quick grab for Cora who was lying closeby. Rushing in just in time, he brought his foot down and crushed the outstretched wrist, effectively halting the claws from reaching its goal.

Forcing the whimpering male to stand, Sorus firmly grasped Yedin's throat in one hand and mercilessly tightened his hold on the now useless wrist, causing the young male to howl out in pain. Spreading his mandibles menacingly the senior hunter stared into the pair of fearful yellow eyes without emotion. _"On this day you will learn what it means to suffer...and I will be the one to teach you this lesson."_

Even with standing a short distance away, K'rve could still sense Sorus' desire for Yedin's blood. Not wanting to delay the treatment both females required, he spoke firmly. _"Leave that filth to me."_

Narrowing his gaze at the elder, Sorus lifted Yedin up and tossed him with much force across the room. The elder was right. No matter how much he wanted to carry out the execution, this was not the time or place to deal with the bad blood. Letting K'rve and Ge'tur deal with the male that was reeking of fear, he knelt down beside Cora. Seeing that her eyes were still shut tightly and feeling her flinch at his touch, Sorus leaned in closer and spoke to her softly, "You are safe now."

Relieved that Cora was still alive, Sorus gently rubbed her back to offer some comfort. He was disturbed that though she had responded with a slight nod to acknowledge his presence, her shaking did not cease and for this reason he dared not move her person yet. Past experience had taught him that the fetal position she held indicated pain, however without the use of technological aid he was unable to locate its source. Seeing that Hrael was returning from another bench with a mask in hand, he made a quick search for more healing salve. Finding it stored in a small compartment above, he quickly applied it to the open wound on Cora's wrist to stop the loss of blood.

In the moments that followed, the injured healer's response toward him was one that caught him by surprise. There was no hesitation in the smooth flow of the movement and, though unexpected, it was certainly something he most welcomed...

Not having the strength to stand after being thrown across the room with such force, Yedin looked up to see the lead elder walking towards him. Using his good hand to pull himself up to a sitting position, he tried to defend his actions. _"I have helped cleanse this clan of the oomans. They are both on their way to meet the black warrior and their death will allow this clan to rise to greatne..."_

Not letting Yedin continue, K'rve slammed his foot down on the side of his torso, causing a few ribs to break. As the coward roared in agony the elder picked him up. Holding the small male against the wall, he brought his fist down and smashed the bad blood's jaw hard enough to break two mandibles in the process. This yautja's sentence was one for death but it would not be carried out in their current location. Turning his attention to Ge'tur, who stood by watching the scene and awaiting orders, K'rve barked at him to remove the filth from the room and lock him in the holding cells.

Even though the cells were built for the purpose of holding bad bloods, since he had taken on the position as the leader, the need to use it had never been present till now and he could only hope that after this incident it would not have to be used again. After Ge'tur had dragged the whimpering male out, K'rve moved back to the front of the room and stood in silence as Hrael scanned both females.

Hrael made a quick scan over Andree before moving over to Cora. Andree's injuries were not as bad as he thought. A dislocated shoulder, four broken ribs and the long open wound on her left arm. Given time, these could easily be healed and the huntress would be fine in a few weeks after the bones had mended. What concerned him, however, was the female healer's injury. Scanning Cora, Hrael made a rather disturbing discovery when he noticed a small area displaying a slow spread of heat in her lower abdomen. Turning to both Kal'fa and Sorus, he immediately relayed his findings.

Though aware of the presence of other yautja rushing into the medical bay, Cora remained where Yedin had dropped her. Everything had occurred in a blurr. Even now when she lay on the cool hard ground, despite knowing other hunters were there to help, she found little comfort with the unknown identities of the ones who had entered. And the next moments were filled with terror as she found her tormentor lying a stone's throw away and was reaching out to grab her.

With the clawed hand inches from her, Cora closed her eyes and waited for more pain to come but the terrible talons never reached her. Though she had heard the audible crunch of bones, fear still reigned and she kept her eyes closed. It was only when a deep familiar voice sounded in the air that encouraged her to take a peek up at her savior's face. Knowing that a close friend had come to her rescue and was now keeping her safe had brought the soothing comfort she needed. But another strange emotion had surfaced also; a feeling she couldn't quite explain.

Looking up, it was clear that there was much anger in his gaze but his deep ambers also showed fear... 'Why would there be fear in his eyes?' Cora had no doubt that the warrior, who had just violently removed the threat before her, was trying hard to provide some form of comfort in the situation through the gentle motions of rubbing her back. However, she sensed the anxiety in him and it seemed to her as if Sorus required far more reassurance than she did.

Immediately after Sorus had closed the wound in her wrist, she grasped his hand and brought it closer to her to give it a gentle peck on the back of his hand. Words were still too much to manage in her current agony but this little action to express her thanks, especially when he was leaning so close, was still be possible. At least this would hopefully ease her friend in knowing that, despite her still shaking form, she was no longer afraid.

Dimly aware of the clicking above her, the female healer winced when she tried to move a little. And sensing sudden movement, Cora slowly opened her eyes to see Sorus move in over her. She tried to smile when he gently lifted her from the ground but instead grimaced from the slowly subsiding pain.

After being placed on the table next to Andree, Cora forgot the now throbbing soreness and shifted slowly to get off the huge slab to get over to her friend. Ignoring the disapproving growl from Sorus, she wriggled to move from his hold, however, her struggles were too weak against the large clawed hands that firmly held her down. Turning her head to face the elder who was now standing over Andree and attempting to once again apply the healing salve, she called out weakly, "D...don't touch her yet." Seeing Kal'fa stop in his tracks, Cora turned her attention to Hrael as he walked over to her with three syringes in hand.

Hearing the young healer call out to ask all not to touch the huntress, Hrael picked up the three syringes and walked over to Cora. With his trainee being responsive, he could at least determine which of the drugs was used on which person. With Cora weakly pointing at two then at Andree and the remaining one at herself Hrael nodded then moved with purpose to treat the two. However, before he could move away, Cora grabbed his wrist and held on tightly.

The female healer looked up and pleaded with her senior. "Help Andree first." She had been of little assistance to Andree during Yedin's assault and now the least she could do was to let her friend be attended to first.

Growling the yautja healer moved his other hand over hers to pry her hand away. "No. Broken bones easy to heal, you have injury inside...serious...need to remove." Hrael then quickly moved to the bench to get two syringes containing the sleep drug. As the healer returned to Cora, he directed Sorus to stand aside as he prepared to put her to sleep and operate on the area she was jabbed. However, the moment she was released, Hrael was taken by surprise when she used the last ounce of her strength to push and slide down the table. Catching the small form as she fell, Hrael felt her slip a hand into his to grab the syringe before weakly pushing her way toward Andree.

Grunting at her stubbornness, Sorus quickly moved to support Cora to the other table. As tempted as he was to scoop her up and put her back on the table, he could understand Kal'fa's need for Cora's assistance. Maintaining a firm hold on the female as she administered the drug to the huntress, he watched Andree relax to the touch of the gentle form in his arms. After the syringe was depleted of its contents, he immediately carried the weakened female back to the table and laid her down so Hrael could attend to her.

Hearing footfalls approach, Sorus briefly looked up from Cora to the door as the senior healer rushed in. Listening to Hrael update Tofvi on all that occurred, he barely noticed the low growl from the new arrival as he returned his gaze to the young female lying on the table before him. Using the sounds around him, Sorus followed the movements of the healers as they cleansed quickly before preparing the necessary equipment to tend to the females' injuries.

The honored warrior frowned when Hrael had failed to notice the spike of fear from Cora at the announcement of her undergoing an operation. But this had not gone unnoticed by him. As words failed him in his anger, he tried to reassure Cora through the warmth of physical contact; raising a hand, he used the back of one finger to lightly brush along her jawline in a simple yet affectionate gesture. Despite smelling the slight fear in her scent, the deep trust she held for him was still evident in her eyes. And surprisingly, as he worked to settle her, it seemed that the gentle female's reaction toward him also assisted in calming the raging storm within him.

Watching Cora still blinking sleepily at him after several moments, it suddenly dawned on him that the sleep drug had a delayed or lesser effect whenever she was stressed. Aware that time was of essence, Sorus quickly moved over to the bench and grabbed another syringe with the sleep drug. After injecting Cora with a third of its contents, he looked down to see her reach for his hand. Taking her hand in his, he squeezed it lightly before she began to nod off.

Standing at the corner of the room, K'rve watched in silence as Cora turned her head from Sorus to an already sleeping Andree before closing her eyes and drifting to sleep with silent tears falling. With heavy emotions hanging in the air he shook his great head and turned to leave room. Stopping at the entrance, the leader looked over both oomans one last time before directing his attention to the two anxious males. _"Kal'fa, Sorus, leave the room so the healers can commence their work without distraction."_

Moving out of the room into the corridor, the lead elder waited patiently as the two warriors lingered at the entrance. Understanding the worry the pair felt, he informed them that he would handle the bad blood while they waited for the healers to finish their work. However, as soon as he turned to leave, Sorus stopped him.

Having left Cora's side, the wave of anger had swiftly returned. But despite the emotions he felt, Sorus kept a stoic expression when he spoke to K'rve. _"Elder, as the bad blood is sentenced to death, I seek your permission to carry out the execution." _He had feared the worst after having learnt of the danger the female was in. And while concerned of her reaction toward him after such an incident, this was secondary to his ultimate concern; her life being in mortal danger.

Knowing that Yedin had attempted to extinguish the very light he had sought for so long, Sorus clenched his fists tightly at the thought of the punishment he yearned to hand out. He knew, however, that it was only the elders and arbitrators who had the given authority to carry out a bad blood's sentence. As Sorus stood his ground, waiting for K'rve to decide, he was glad that Kal'fa decided to step in.

Kal'fa who was still staring into the room, listened to the conversation between Sorus and his brother with relative calm. Being an elder, he would put his position to full use in handing out the justice both he and Sorus so desperately seeked. Finally ripping his gaze from his chosen female, he turned slowly to address K'rve. _"Brother, with both Andree and Cora suffering from such a cowardly attack, I believe it is a necessity for Sorus and I to carry out this particular execution."_

K'rve looked first to his brother then to Sorus and frowned slightly. There was a procedure to follow when dealing with captured bad bloods and it was plain to see that both males were too clouded in anger to carry out the necessary routine. He had no doubt that they desired to punish Yedin using a means that they saw fit. Also, he was certain that Yedin would not survive the torture the seniors had in mind, thus relieving the coward of the true fate a bad blood was meant to endure.

The very reason that permitted only arbitrators and elders to carry out the specific procedure was due to the fact that no emotion or prejudice would play a part, hence enabling the full punishment to be laid out. Gazing at both warriors, the leader relented and nodded to the request. When all was said and done, the young blood would not escape his death sentence; the only difference was the manner the young male would meet his end. Yedin had afterall harmed the females whom both warriors had chose to bond with. Moreover, it would not be wise to deny the males and let either of them return to the training room in their current restless state.

Watching Kal'fa and Sorus nod back their acknowledgement before turning to leave, K'rve sighed deeply. Yes, letting them execute the bad blood might be the only option in the current circumstance. He did not need any more incidents on board, and least of all from two well seasoned hunters. Though neither had officially taken the oomans as lifemates yet it was in their right to avenge them. Besides, releasing their pent up anger would be a good way to waste time while they waited till the healers were done.

After returning to the training area to take over from the blooded hunters, K'rve sent D'fal down to stand guard at the medical bay till Kal'fa and Sorus were done with Yedin. It was unlikely that another hunter would harm the oomans after this event but Yedin was not without friends. There may well be other foolish hunters who might attempt something of a similar nature and he was not willing to take such a risk.

Hearing the whispering clicks of the young bloods on entering the _kehrite_, it was obvious that all the youths had caught on to the recent happenings. K'rve tapped his upper mandible in thought. The outcome of the situation had resulted in an unlikely twist of fortune. As word spread of the seriousness the second-in-command and honored warrior had in courting the females, he was sure that at least for now no yautja was going to be foolish enough to challenge the older males to pursue either oomans. Furthermore, with the built up emotions in the current situation, he was willing to bet that Kal'fa and Sorus were high on being protective and neither would show any mercy to other yautja who came unncessarily close to the oomans.

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Quickly cleansing after executing the worthless male, Kal'fa slowly made his way back to the medical bay. The elder was silently thankful that Cora had stabbed Yedin deep in the hip; the extend of the injury was evident when he had knocked the bad blood from Andree. He was certain that had she not intervened, his mate-to-be would have surely been killed.

On reaching his destination, he saw that D'fal had been posted there to stand guard and that Sorus was already waiting quietly outside the room. Nodding to acknowledge both hunters, Kal'fa stood near the entrance and waited as well. It had been several hours since the incident and it was a worrying fact that the healers were still not done yet. Crossing his arms and staring at the ground, he reflected on their execution of the young blood. With both oomans suffering from serious injuries it had turned his blood hot with rage.

Neither he nor Sorus took pleasure in the slow killing of the bad blood. However, with blood boiling with so much anger they both needed a release and in this particular case the deliberate slow killing of Yedin was justified. As both females were made to suffer from internal injuries instead of open wounds, that were easily healed, they had thus prolonged the young male's torturous end. The bad blood had been force to endure the pain from injuries that had a similar nature to the ones caused by his own hand. Using nothing but brutal strength and claws, the young male had almost every bone in his body crushed beyond repair.

They had each held enough restraint while handing out the punishment, so as to slowly ease out their anger. Each blow was well measured to make certain that all injuries would result in minimal internal bleeding while ensuring a furnace of pain. Throughout his last hours, the young male had tried desperately to justify his actions against the oomans, but hearing his justifications had only served to add fuel to fire and extending his own agony. With Yedin's last proclamation, of the females deserving death from tainting the clan with their methods, it broke the final thread of restrain both his elders held. The bad blood's flesh was ripped with claws that were unrelenting. The only honor that was now given to his once student, was to leave the entire body still intact.

Leaving the holding cells covered in gore, they had returned to their quarters to clean up before heading back to the medical bay. The eta, who were present at the beginning of Yedin's punishment, left and only returned to clear the mess when it was all finished. Tapping his upper mandibles, Kal'fa reflected on the whispers from the eta when he had passed them on the way out. The older etas had said it was a mercy killing and that the bad blood should have been made to endure the torture of both mind and body. And despite agreeing with them on some level, he did not regret the decision to have Yedin only suffer only one part of the punishment.

With Hrael walking out the medical bay to gesture them in, Kal'fa snapped his attention back to the present. It had been a long wait and even with the healers finally finished in their treatment, the look in Hrael's eyes did not sit well with him. There was no doubt that the females would be somewhat shaken by this incident and would need time away from the other young hunters to mend from injuries on both inside and out. Following the healer, Kal'fa walked up to the huntress who seemed to be resting peacefully while Sorus made his way over to Cora.

It was a comfort to see Andree clothed and breathing evenly. Knowing deep in his heart that he had already acknowledged this female as his mate, it did not set his heart at peace to know that another male had mended her coverings. But he knew that this would be the least of his worries. Running his talons in a slow motion through her shoulder length hair, Kal'fa sighed at the thought of her waking reaction. In maintaining consciousness throughout the horrific experience, he only hoped that it would not affect the advancement he had been making.

Turning to Hrael, Kal'fa listened in silence as the healer updated on Andree's condition. _"The soreness in her shoulder will take time to heal from injuries sustained in the ligaments and tendons. Also, she had been given the serum to aid the healing process of the broken ribs... The main concern, however, isn't physical..."_

Putting his clawed hand over Andree's, Kal'fa nodded knowingly. _"I know...the way she was handled after being injected with the concentration drug would have resulted in mental trauma." _Despite knowing how deep the mental damage could be, he held a glimmer of hope that Andree would pull through. She held a strong will and with Cora calling out to her, the torment suffered should have been limited with the break of concentration.

Standing in silence and listening to Hrael and Kal'fa, Tofvi could see the feelings the elder held for the warrior female. Despite knowing the obvious answer the elder would give, Tofvi, stepping toward Kal'fa, brought forward an issue of concern. _"Andree needs much rest in her room but Cora is still badly damaged internally and won't be able to take care of her..."_

Grunting Kal'fa moved closer to the table and gently picked Andree's limp form up. _"I will take care of her." _Then looking over at the female healer, he glanced at a strangely silent Sorus before turning to Tofvi. _"What is Cora's condition__?" _

Turning back to the table Cora laid on Tofvi glanced up at Sorus, who was standing on the other side of the table and kept a deep unmoving gaze on the small form. Moving up to stand by the table, the senior healer looked down at his trainee and closed his eyes briefly as he gave his reply, _"Yedin injected her with the drug she created. It was made to counter poisons but as the drug had nothing to counter it resulted in acting exactly like a poison would and badly damaged one of her ovaries. I removed the left ovary and the surrounding tissue but the spread of the drug has weakened her womb."_

Looking down at his junior, Tofvi continued, _"If Cora is to bear offspring, she will need to be injected with the drug the older females use to strengthen the womb. However, this drug reacts only to yautja DNA, so in order for it to work on her she needs to have some of our kind's blood injected directly into her womb before the drug is administered." _

Hearing this Sorus cut his palm with a claw and held it up to the senior healer, offering his blood for the procedure. Seeing this Tofvi shook his head and looked to the elder. _"Elder Kal'fa, Cora though blooded has not yet decided to stay with the clan. Also, as she has not chosen a yautja mate, she is not permitted to receive the blood of our race."_

Glaring at Tofvi, Sorus flared his mandibles and narrowed his gaze. _"Healer, you will give her my blood and administer the strengthening drug." _Bringing his gaze back to Cora, Sorus brushed his clawed thumb over the blooded mark on her neck. _"I choose Cora to be my mate and I will bond with her. "_

With eyes widening in surprise at the warrior's bold claim over a female, Tofvi looked over at Kal'fa to see if he would intervene. But the elder remained silent, returning a calm and meaningful gaze at the healer. Tofvi frowned and looked down at Cora lying on the table before him. Of all the hunters on board the ship, two of the most senior wanted to turn a blind eye just to help the female in the spur of the moment. They should know better that though males could pursue a desired mate, it was ultimately the females who held the decision in choosing the one they would mate with.

His indecision, however, was not due to having anything against Cora. In fact he had come to respect his trainee and they had even become good friends. But now he was torn between assisting Sorus and protecting Cora's right to choose a mate. The words of bonding with the female had also come as a shock, and in all his years he had not come across a hunter who found their lifemate. Still, he suspected that Sorus had yet to speak to Cora about this issue.

Tofvi sighed inwardly at the situation. It was plain to see that the honored warrior had obviously not spoken or heard the female talk about her hopes for the future before making such a rash decision in bonding. Glancing up to meet an amber gaze, heated with determination, Tofvi gave in. The reasons for this elite warrior to bind his life to an ooman was beyond him but he was not about to challenge another male's choice. Besides, if Cora did indeed share such a connection with Sorus then she would no doubt be allowed to receive her mate's blood anyway. And though he was willing to yield to Sorus' demands, as the senior healer administering the drug, he would have to remind the seasoned warrior of the female's freewill.

Grabbing a small mixer tube from the back bench to hold the blood, Tofvi locked his gaze with Sorus as he resumed to further explain Cora's condition and situation. _"Sorus you need to be aware that despite your intentions to help, Cora may still choose another male." _Snorting Sorus moved his hand over to the container to fill it with his blood. As the green trickled down the warrior's palm and slowly filled the tube, Tofvi softly added. _"Even with her organ strengthened, her mate still can't be too rough when mating her as it could result in damaging her." _With the container filled, the healer brought it back to the back bench to prepare it for the next step.

Carrying Andree in his arms, Kal'fa walked over to the side of the table and look down at Cora. The news was not all good in Andree's case and it seemed equally bad for Cora. One would suffer mental trauma while the other endured physical damage. Not wanting the procedure to be delayed by his presence, the elder looked up to addressed both healers before leaving. _"Tofvi, I understand that this is a lengthy procedure and I want either you or Hrael to remain here at all times till its completion." _Then glancing at D'fal, who was standing quietly at the entrance, Kal'fa spoke firmly. _"D'fal, you will continue to stand guard here. Besides Sorus and the healers, no other blooded or young bloods are allowed in." _Nodding, D'fal glanced over at Cora briefly before turning around to face outside the medical bay when the elder walked out the room.

Seeing Kal'fa walk out with Andree, Sorus returned his attention to the female lying on the table. Resting his clawed hand over her abdomen, he gently traced a claw over the small scar where the incision was made. Turning his head slightly to face the bench, he watched as Tofvi added another solution to mix with his blood. Tapping his upper right mandible, in thought, Sorus looked down at the _thwei _flowing slowly from his palm. He recognized the solution Tofvi added as an emulsifier, and it would aid her cells in adapting and modifying her DNA structure slightly. This would allow her body to accept and respond to his race's drugs more effectively as well as allow her to conceive yautja offspring.

Still resting his clawed hand over Cora's lower abdomen, Sorus slowly moved his gaze up her small form and let it rest on the peaceful looking face. Studying her soft features, he shook his head inwardly. Tofvi's words had angered him but he chose not to react to it. The senior healer had meant well when reminding him of respecting a female's right to choose. But the younger hunter obviously did not fully understand his intentions in the current situation. Regardless of the fact that Cora would receive his blood, she would always have a choice.

It did not really matter to him even if she were to receive the blood of another. At the present moment, all that mattered was that she was back to full health. Spreading his mandibles slightly, Sorus took in her soft calming scent. He didn't know what plans the female had once the missing hard meat was found but no matter how much he wanted her, he would never force her into anything. And though he hated the thought of her choosing another over him, he have would still respect her decision.

Taking his hand away when Tofvi walked back with a syringe, Sorus moved up to the head of the table. He stroked Cora's forehead gently as the healer put on a mask to monitor her while injecting the solution into her reproductive organ. When the syringe was removed, Sorus clicked lightly to get the healer's attention. _"When will the drug for strengthening her womb be administered?" _

Removing the mask, Tofvi briefly looked down at the silent ooman figure before returning his gaze to Sorus. _"She will need at least ten hours of rest for her body to adjust and adapt first. During this time it is best to keep her unconscious to minimise movement and avoid damaging the weakened area." _Then handing the mask over to Sorus, he continued, _"We will also need to observe her closely for changes." _

Nodding in acknowledgement, Sorus moved over to the nearest bench and pulled the chair next to the table. From the moment he had returned to the medical bay, he kept vigil over her. And the silence he held the entire time had conveyed the need to be alone with her. Though this was not possible at the present time, he knew that both healers would respect his wishes the moment Cora's condition was stabilized.

Even with Yedin being executed, his heart was far from being settled. The unleash of his anger on the deserving youth had only served as a temporary relief and he was well aware that his blood would not entirely cool off till the female was completely well. Moreover, at the present moment, the very thought of another yautja having unnecessary close contact with her was more than enough to set him off. Her scent and her being physically close had however calmed him down and this was perhaps what he desperately needed. Had he return to the _kehrite_, there was a good chance of him losing control and killing another male in training.

Gently resting a clawed hand over hers, Sorus brought his other hand up to brush the blooded mark on her neck. Cora was no warrior but her loyalty to her friends was fierce and this quality alone was something that he found to be very precious. Being untrained, she had still selflessly drew her tormentor's attention to herself and saved Andree. If he had never known her, he would have deemed such as an act of stupidity. However, in light of greater understanding for this pure-hearted being, he had come to look upon her actions with new eyes. He had no doubt that Cora held much fear during the incident and inspite of that she had still found the courage to move forward to face a challenge where the obvious victory would not be hers.

Tapping his upper right mandible in thought, Sorus shook his head inwardly. No. He was wrong. Despite getting injured, Cora had acted to defend her friend and had gained the victory she wanted. She had saved Andree from certain death. Fingering the small scar on her lower abdomen absentmindedly, he spread his mandibles in a slight smile. In the time he had spent with both females, it had given him deeper insight to the way they perceived various situations in life.

Seeing Cora's eyes roll slightly under the soft fluttering of eyelids, a crease formed on his brow as he narrowed his amber gaze. If she was dreaming, he only hoped that it was not of the incident. Though Andree would suffer from her traumatic experience it did not mean that Cora would endure any less in her sufferings. Her senses must have been on high alert from the adrenaline rush during the incident and she was not only afflicted with physical wounds but had also watched Andree's torture as well. The tears she shed before falling into slumber had been a clear indication of how disturbed she was at seeing her friend suffer.

Feeling her skin start to turn a little cold, Sorus stood up and moved over to the next table to grab the fur blanket that was used on Andree earlier. Covering the young female, he stroked her forehead reassuringly when he noticed her turning her head slightly while frowning in her sleep. Standing over her, he put a claw hand under the blanket and lightly squeezed her hand. He then decided. He would not only stay with her till she woke but would continue to remain by her side till she had completely recovered from the trauma of the incident. Dwelling on this thought alone gave him some comfort. Despite knowing that these actions showed an over-protectiveness over a female whom he had not claimed yet, he was no longer concerned. Remaining by her would allow their friendship to deepen and more importantly, keep her safe from harm.

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**Warning: Possible spoilers below!!**

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_**Special thanks to the following people:**_

_**Yezalb:** Thank you for your review and support. It is a comfort to know that you have enjoyed the story. Also, I have to say that I was really surprised to see someone review soon after I posted the chapter (must have been within the an hour after it was posted). ;)_

_**predator808: **Yup, Yedin got himself stuck in quicksand. _

_**Darkness Maiden of Avalon:** Thank you for the review. I hope the tease in the last chapter made this one worth the wait. :) _

_**Zarsthor:**Thank you for your review. I always look forward to reading it as I really enjoy seeing how you ponder and perceive the underlying factors/feelings the characters experience. As I have previously mentioned, many details I have added (eg. a character's development/feelings/actions) are due to reading reviews that are similar to yours. It was also really nice to know that you like the gradual development in the relationship. I know you enjoy reading about Darren but his character will not appearance much in the next few chapters - but I can promise you that you'll see much more of him in the third part of the story (Bonds that are tested by fire). :)_

_**Yautja's Blooded Pet:** Thank you for reviewing and thanks for being so patient in waiting for the next chapter. I was really happy to see in your review about the mention of Cora's little show of ferociousness. Am slowly trying to bring in some action in Cora's character and the gradual increase of her coming forward will be evident in the coming chapters. _

_**Nanoe:**I totally agree with you. If Yedin was a real character I imagine that he would literally have his ass kicked by so many people he wouldn't be able to sit for weeks!!!_

_**IluthraDanar: **Thanks for the review, it was good to know that you were looking forward to Yedin's punishment. With more torture scenes in future chapters, I didn't concentrate too much on Yedin's punishment - hope you weren't let down too much._

_**tiggersbuddy: **Thanks for the review. It was great to know that you like the story :). _

_**QuickStar: **Haha, yea I agree. Yedin's been a pain in the ass but as you'll soon see, his character/action plays a huge role in the major turning point of the story. Hmm, this makes me wonder if the main characters in this story should thank him for moving the plot of the story along._

_**Rebal21: **Thanks for your review, I'm really glad you adore this story. :) _

_**Kamil the Awesome: **I must say that your threat really did work!!! I laughed really hard after reading your review and frequently thought about it. This ultimately pushed me to quickly work on the finishing touches of this chapter and post it. Also, as I have much planned for the future chapters, in terms of torturing, i didn't focus too much on it in this chapter so I hope Yedin's punishment wasn't too much of a disappointment. _


	36. Unsettled hearts

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

**.**

**Chapter 36**

Unsettled hearts

Putting Andree down on the bed, Kal'fa sat down on the edge and looked down at the small form sleeping peacefully. Grabbing the fur blankets on the side he pulled it over to cover her. It would not be long before she woke and he intended to stay here till that time. He was glad that his brother was not only open minded but understanding as well. Not all siblings were able to get along but he and K'rve had spent many centuries hunting side by side and this allowed their brotherly bond to grow.

He was relieved knowing that K'rve was supportive of him; the leader could take over training the young hunters while he looked after Andree for the moment. Taking a chair from the side of the room, Kal'fa brought it over to the side of the bed she was on. Reflecting on Hrael's words, he tapped his upper mandibles and sighed inwardly. He had hoped to claim Andree before the upcoming mating season, which was a mere month away, but with the female going through such a painful experience he was beginning to doubt it was possible.

After waiting over a good hour, he noticed Andree rousing from her sleep when she groaned softly and started to opened her still sleepily eyes. Seeing her sudden movement in trying to get up, Kal'fa immediately moved forward. He held her right shoulder firmly as she tried to move away from him while using her good arm to push at him. Still keeping a strong hold on her shoulder, to prevent her from re-injuring it, he moved to kneel beside the bed and purred softly while slowly running his other hand in a soothing motion through her soft hair.

He needed to calm Andree down so she could allow her ribs to heal quickly and prevent further injury to her right shoulder. She would need to avoid any unnecessary movement for the next few days to aid the healing process. Feeling her tense body gradually relax, the elder looked on as she blinked several times before becoming fully awake. As she made eye contact with him, he watched in surprise as she calmly raised her left hand and placed it over the clawed hand holding onto her right shoulder.

Sensing the presence of someone hovering over her, Andree immediately moved to get up. With the incident still fresh in her mind, she struggled fiercely against the firm grip that held onto her sore right shoulder. It was only when she noticed the gentle actions, which slowly drew her attention away from the terror of her mind, that she was able to focus on the face of the one beside her. With her mind gradually clearing from the dreaded experience, she turned her face away and spoke softly. "I..I'm sorry. I didn't realise it was you...when I felt a hand on my shoulder I thought..."

Pressing his forehead lightly against hers, Kal'fa purred softly and stroked her cheek using a lower mandible. He was certain that Andree's concentration had been drawn away from Cora's shouts and this had probably saved her much of the torture her mind would have suffered. However, the one torment that would have sunk in was probably the sense of touch. Pulling back slightly, he used a clawed finger to gently move her face back to him and rest his soft gaze on her. His long dreadlocks waved slightly as he shook his head. "Do not apologize. You did not know it was me."

Nodding in acceptance of his words, Andree gave him a small smile. Then looking around the room, she tried to sit up but was still held down firmly. "Where is Cora? And...Yedin? He didn't kill her did he?" Panic set in when she became suddenly aware that she was in an unfamiliar room and that her dear friend was missing.

Pulling back slowly, Kal'fa rested his other hand on her left arm to reassure her but withdrew when Andree shuddered involuntarily from the contact. Sighing inwardly, he replied, "Yedin has been executed and Cora is still in the medical bay. Healers and Sorus are watching over her."

As Andree again attempted to get up, he grunted and maintained his hold on her shoulder to keep her in place. "You cannot see her yet, you need rest to heal. I will take you down when you are better. Cora needs rest too." Seeing her sigh and slowly settle down Kal'fa released his grip on her as she relaxed on the bed.

Noting that the huntress was looking around the room with tired eyes, Kal'fa clicked softly at her and brought her attention back to him. "Cora will not be well for a while so I will take care of you in my room." With a clear look of surprise and uncertainty in her expression he added softly but reassuringly, "I will not harm or touch you in any way that makes you feel uncomfortable." Watching as she rested her gaze on him as if still uncertain about what he said, he raised his hand up and ran it through her hair in a gentle and slow motion to ease her fears and lure her back to sleep. As she closed her eyes to rest after a moment Kal'fa pulled the blanket up to cover her.

Sitting back to watch over the female, Kal'fa reflected back to when he was first permitted to hunt oomans many centuries ago. He recalled that some of the soft meat prey he tracked would often require the comfort of those around them to keep them sane from the knowledge or fear of being hunted. Other oomans he observed had seeked to be alone but those were more often than not the males. The females of their race, whether warrior or not, seemed to have the need to have a loved one close to them. And as far as he could tell, the females needed much emotional support when faced with difficult times, but when they had such support their spirit often grew stronger.

Standing up slowly, the elder gazed at small form on his bed and considered his past experiences with the oomans. She was a female ooman whom he had proudly blooded as a hunter and she had shown a strong spirit as well as proved to be a great warrior. Being ooman had not detered her advancement in rank and she had all the qualities he seeked in a lifemate and more. Support on an emotional level in his race was usually reserved between close mates. And though Andree was not yet his mate, he had every intention of providing her with the support she needed to grow strong again.

He would stay with her as much as he could when not training the young bloods or whenever he had spare time. Walking to the side of the room, Kal'fa opened a small compartment in the wall and took out a short blade. It was a unique weapon that was made from the tail end of the _kainde amedha_, and he had intended to give it to Andree when they became mates.

Just like her, the blade was special and it was one that would fit her perfectly. He had taken that same _kainde amedha's_ skull as a trophy but the spiked tail was curved in an angle that was uncommon so he had removed it and made it into a weapon. It was a treasured ornament that he kept to remember the challenge and had initially intended on using it but unfortunately it was a little too small for him.

Putting the blade back in the compartment, Kal'fa turned back to look at the silent form sleeping lightly on his bed. Andree, after learning that Cora was working on the new potion, a few months ago, had also started something herself. She had found a way to allow his kind to see the world through using the ooman sight. His clan had been working on it for several years now but was never able to perfect it. Now, however, they could finally learn how the oomans looked at the world – something both females described as seeing in color.

Andree had been talented in the use of ooman computers but he never would have thought that she would be able to help complete the sight after learning to use yautja technology. The huntress had completed her own small project weeks ago and had shared the result only with him. She wanted to surprise Cora with this project after K'rve had approved of the anti-poison serum but at the moment it looked like the surprise would have to wait a little longer.

Grabbing his mask, Kal'fa walked over to the bed and put it on. At the moment his mask was the only one onboard that was able to switch to the ooman sight and he had only used it once. He still had difficulties understanding color and Andree had helped him when he first used this sight. The ooman sight was very strange indeed. All the other sights in the mask had the ability to identify movement and track different heat signatures of living creatures but not this sight. It did, however, give much detail to the surroundings and gave admiring the natural environment a new meaning. At least now he could somewhat understand why some oomans would spend time staring blankly out into the distance. Something he had once thought to be an awful waste of time; looking at the scenery without the purpose of tracking prey.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he looked down at the young warrior. Andree was no doubt attractive even amongst her own race. Starting from the top, he looked at the smooth flowing black hair that was spread out beneath her and conformed to the pillows and furs. She had a slender build but had beautiful prominent curves that showed her femininity. And being an ooman female, her frame was small but she was well toned. Her skin was tanned, and as the huntress had previously explained, it was a clear sigh that she was active outdoors. Apparently, she was almost always under the sun, either when hunting with Cora while on a holiday or when overseeing the construction of buildings in her line of work.

Watching the gentle rising and falling of her chest, Kal'fa closed his eyes and listened to the sound of her inhaling life. After Andree's ordeal, his heart had cringed when he stood helpless watching her and hearing each painful intake of air. And now that she was safe with him, he could better appreciate the peaceful music to his ears as he sat in silence; listening to the easy breathing. Her physical wounds would not take long to heal but her mind would probably take a few weeks to mend.

Removing his mask and propping it to the side, he sighed. Even though K'rve knew of his affections and intentions for this female he could not ask his brother to lessen his duties as a trainer. He was an elder and, as such, he carried much responsibility. Slowly running a hand through her soft hair then tracing it down one shoulder with the lightest touch, he made a silent promise to Andree. He would spend what spare moments he had in helping the huntress get back on her feet and overcome her horrid experience.

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Seven hours after the injection, Cora woke to a sore sensation in her lower abdomen. Though feeling extremely tired she was aware that she was still in the medical bay. With the need to see her friend, she winced in discomfort when turning her head slowly to the side, expecting to see Andree. The small movement had reinforced the pain in her lower half and made her aware of an aching feeling in her joints. But the next moments hit her harder as she suddenly felt incredibly dizziness and tired. She, however, paid no mind to this. Her focus was purely on Andree.

Alarmed at seeing the empty table before her, Cora started to sit up but immediately felt a pair of clawed hands firmly grasp her hip and shoulder, stilling her movements. Turning to face the other side she looked up slightly to see Sorus sitting next to the table looking intently at her. Unable to focus on his stillness due to her throbbing head, she scanned the room and noticed Tofvi and K'rve standing in one corner with their gaze on her and Hrael who was seated at a nearby bench working on something. Hearing Sorus softly clicking and growling at one of the others in the room she tilted her head up slightly to see Tofvi disappear from her field of vision when he walked over to another bench to grab something.

Still worried about Andree, she slowly returned her tired gaze back to the empty table that her friend had occupied. With Tofvi coming in sight and moving closer, Cora frowned when she noticed a syringe in his hand, ready to put her back to sleep. As soon as he stopped in front of the table she was lying on, she fought the giddy feeling and struggled to look up and meet his gaze. "Where is Andree?" Her voice was soft but audible. However what surprised her was that it sounded as if she croaked when the words came out. Seeing her senior position the syringe and ignoring her question, she brought her hand up at the last minute and grabbed at Tofvi's index and middle fingers, twisting just enough for him to let go of the syringe. Clearing her throat, she spoke again, "Where is she?"

Looking at her in surprise, Tofvi finally answered softly. "Andree resting. Elder Kal'fa take care." Relieved that Andree was safe, Cora sighed in contentment. Relaxing, she closed her eyes and fell back into a deep sleep.

Surprised at this response, Tofvi pulled back and looked up at Sorus. _"Do you still want her to have another dose of the sleep drug now?" _

Resting a clawed hand on Cora's warm forehead, Sorus shook his head. _"Perhaps not yet. This is not the first time this has happened. When Cora first came onboard, after the implantation of the breathing device, she responded in the same way. Back then she must have woke because of being unsettled in a new environment but now it is because of Andree."_

Nodding, Tofvi put the syringe away. Seeing the elder, who was standing at one side lightly tapping an upper mandible, the senior healer slowly returned his attention to the silent female. It was not common for K'rve to visit the injured in the medical bay but he was aware that this was a unique case. This ooman was different. Though he never said anything, when Cora spoke of her ooman occupation to him and Hrael, he had been impressed at her selflessness in her ooman work. He knew that she was initially uneasy when she had first arrived; especially when she knew her race to be prey to yautja. But even then, it never detered her desire to assist their race in modifying and improving their healing techniques.

And with her waking reaction, it had no doubt shocked all who were in the room. This pure hearted female was no hunter but she was fierce in the defence and protectiveness of those close to her. It was clear that, though Cora was generally a quiet person, an increasing number of hunters had begun to want to be acquainted with her. This female was patient and good at listening to the problems the young bloods had when they healed in the medical bay. In place of the norm, where the young males would be taunted and jeered at, if they spoke of their problems, Cora just listened and occasionally gave pointers.

This kind natured being did not just play the role of healer in attending to the physical wounds but treated the hunters inner wounds as well. As her senior, it had initially concerned him that the younger hunters might turn out to be 'softer' in nature but that was not to be. It had come to his attention that the hunters whom confide in her were soon able to climb above their peers. They had become wiser and actually planned their actions first before attacking; choosing to ignore the taunts from their opponents. This apparently had not gone unnoticed by K'rve, who was later keen to involve her in more challenges.

It was a shame that though Cora often spoke to him and Hrael, she would only really confide in Andree or Sorus. Being her direct seniors, she had treated them both with respect and after a few months of training she had once even stated that they were like the brothers she never had. As an ooman, Cora probably did not know it but making such a statement had a deeper meaning in their culture.

After he and Hrael had gotten over the shock of what she had said, he had encouraged and supported her to learn more about their culture. Cora had learned that day that, as the breeders in their race were held in the highest regard, when a female made such a statement it gave that male a particular special honor. In the case where the opposite genders were not fated to be mates, it showed other hunters that the male was still of high standing when the female considered the warrior as one who was as close as a sibling.

Looking down at his blooded sister, Tofvi spread his mandibles in a smile at that particular memory. After understanding the meaning behind her words, Cora had not taken back what she had said and had even reaffirmed the statement. Her words were not empty and she did not just say it with the intention of lightening her workload through elevating their status. She had truly desired a bond with them. She did not regret her decision. And as such, both he and Hrael would watch over and protect her as they would a younger sibling.

He was aware that Cora intended to have this bond with one other hunter, but in light of the current events it would have to wait.

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With Cora waking a short three hours ago, Tofvi prepared to administer a stronger dose of the sleep drug before injecting the serum used for strengthening the womb. Having twice woken before the due time, he would not risk her getting up again when this other drug was administered. This special drug was very thick in consistency and had to be injected very slowly, and it was only possible to administer it while she was unconscious and completely immobile.

Wearing the special mask, Tofvi changed the vision and held her down firmly as he inserted the needle end in and released the drug a little at a time. It had taken over a minute to completely empty the contents and as he slowly pulled the now empty syringe out, he turned to both K'rve and Sorus. _"She needs another five hours of rest before she can get up. And she shouldn't be feeling sore anymore but may feel a little tired."_

Walking back to the bench on the far end to put away all the equipment used on that day, Tofvi and Hrael left the room. Her condition was stable now and she had no need for any to watch over her, except for her safety. And seeing that Sorus hardly moved from her throughout the past ten hours, both healers were certain the warrior would appreciate finally having some quiet time with the female.

The leader took a deep breath and sighed when the healers left; the healing process was now almost over. It had been a long day for everyone and he had kept the training a little shorter than usual. After informing the other hunters of the incident, many of the young bloods who had now become friends with both females had difficulties concentrating, making it a waste of time in training when their mind was not in the session. Had their focus been lost under a different circumstance, he would have handed out a just punishment. However, in the current situation, he could understand the need for silence and rest for all.

One of their peers had turned into a bad blood. A young blood had been murdered. Both females were wounded from dishonorable actions. All of this was disturbing news and everyone needed time to let it sink in and settle before training could be resumed. While reflecting on the events that took place over the past hours, K'rve walked up to Sorus and rested his hand on the warrior's shoulder. _"I heard from Tofvi that you gave your blood and announced your claim on Cora." _

Sorus briefly glanced back at the elder before returning his gaze to the sleeping female. _"I respect Cora and have no desire to force such a decision on her regardless of the claim I made. My intention was for her to be healed."_ Then tracing the back of one finger along the blooded mark on her neck, he continued in a somewhat softer tone. _"The receiving of my blood is of no consequence."_

The leader looked at the warrior, impressed with this revelation. This elite held the respect of many warriors in several clans for his skills, patience and knowledge. And it was a well known fact that many believed Sorus would one day make an excellent arbitrator. With his status, the warrior could easily attract any yautja female. But here the hunter stood, gazing with deep yearning at the young healer, wanting to ascertain her desires before taking the next step.

With a nod that showed that he too approved of this move, K'rve tapped his upper mandibles in deep thought before speaking, _"Many are blinded to Cora's strengths because of her gentle nature, and though she may not be a warrior she certainly has a fighter's spirit. Watch over her well, she is an oddity even among her own kind." _Resting his gaze a while longer on both Sorus and Cora, K'rve silently withdrew from the room and asked D'fal to cease his guard duty. It was obvious that the warrior was going to stay by her side so there would be no need to have a guard posted here any longer.

As the elder left, Sorus adjusted the blanket around Cora. Still standing over her, he put a hand under her head and the other on her abdomen. Leaning down, he ever so gently pressed his brow against her shoulder. So much had happened to her in the past hours and he had no way of reassuring or comforting her while she laid here unconscious. This ooman healer took healing and helping others to a whole new level; to the point of bearing the weight of others on her shoulders. To bear one's own burden was hard enough and with her constantly concerned about others he was sure that it would only be a matter of time before it wore her out.

After a long moment he slowly pulled back and sat down. Looking down at Cora, he clicked softly as if she could hear and comprehend the words, _"I would give anything__ to have you choose to be by my side."_ Taking one last glance at her, he closed his eyes to rest but kept his mind somewhat alert to the surroundings. Though tired, the internal fight in his mind raved on and unsettling thoughts continued to swim in his head.

He wanted her so badly.

He had stated his claim on her. He had given her his blood. He desired her in every possible way.

His personal wants for a coupling between them was, however, not the primary reason for his yearning. It was not for the fulfillment of continuing his line that made him thirst for this female but rather the need to have her pure heart. Ever since acknowledging her as the one he would intertwine his life with, he had never denied his longing for her. Still, despite all this, he would never force the bond on her. Cora was just too precious to him and he could not take the risk of burning her in making such a decision for her; her happiness had to be considered before his own.

Trying to forge a lifebond now, when she had not felt a deeper connection to him and was not ready for this bond, could potentially risk the female regretting the hurried decision. This could, in turn, result in his mate always holding some part of herself back; and this was not what he wanted for either of them. At the moment any intimate relationship between them would be one sided only. He knew that there was a strong linked between them, but the bond they shared would only be made whole with the complete giving of themselves.

Her gentle heart had always been the key to their coming together and without it they would never be. As with any true lifebond in his kind, he needed her to want to be with him; to long for him as he did her; to feel the same tightness in her chest as he felt whenever they met. Spreading his mandibles to take in her soft scent, he sighed. Years ago, if anyone had dared to tell him that he would one day find a lifemate in a soft meat prey, he would have killed the insolent being. Yet here lay the young ooman female, in whom he had found the missing part of his soul. Easing his clawed hand up, he placed it on her chest; over her heart. He hungered for her. And as it was built in his genes, he craved to please her. She was everything to him and he would do anything to have her.

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Andree had been awake for a few hours now and though she had been refrained from leaving, Kal'fa had allowed her to tour his spacious room. He had permitted her to handle his weapons and trophies; something he would never allow anyone else to do. The huntress had been anxious to see Cora and she was still in much pain, she restlessly paced around the confined space while making conversation with him. Most of the talk had been trying to convince him to let her back to the medical bay but he kept to his decision and would not let her out till she healed more.

Seeing that the female was still not slowing her gait, even when she was beginning to tire, he walked up and stood before her, effectively stopping her pacing. Putting a clawed hand on her shoulder, he leaned down, "You are tired now and need rest to heal." Knowing that she was going to protest and ask to see Cora again, Kal'fa lightly pressed his large forehead against hers. "Rest Andree. All the ship is sleeping now and Cora will also need her rest. I will take you to see her tomorrow."

Sighing, Andree pulled back and nodded. After all, it really was a needless worry, she knew Cora was safe with Sorus. Climbing slowly into the high bed, she was grateful when the elder helped to lift the weight of fur blankets off and let her settle before pulling it over her. The slightest movement of her torso would cause her to wince in pain, and for her to lift the furs would no doubt be a challenge at the present moment.

Her heart pounded when she watched Kal'fa climb in on the other side of the bed. She could tell that he was hoping to draw her close to him but was holding back at the same time. The elder had earlier explained that touching him or one of his kin was something she would not be able to do without flinching until she got over the incident and regained her confidence. This had somewhat troubled her and she was fighting hard to overcome her fears.

As if reading her troubled mind, Kal'fa turned on his side to face her then eased his hand up and gently stroked her cheek with the back of one clawed finger. He carefully observed Andree's reaction when she initially pulled away in reflex but later lean into his touch. Spreading his mandibles, he took in her scent and smiled inwardly. There was the scent of fear in her initial response but it was soon followed by excitement and comfort. Feeling her settle, he rattled softly, "The trauma in your mind is not deep but you still need time to mend your inner fears."

Turning her head to Kal'fa, Andree kept her eyes downcast and looked at his chest before asking in a whisper, "If it is not deep then how long will it take?"

Chuckling softly, he replied. "I cannot say as everyone heals at a different rate," then leaning in closer he brought his brow against hers, "but do not worry, I will help you through it."

"Thank you." Closing her eyes, Andree smiled softly when she felt the slow motion of mandibles, brushing gently over her face. Knowing that yautja did not have lips, and after learning from Cora that they also did not have tongues, she came to the conclusion that this affectionate motion must be 'kissing' for their race. The sensation was foreign but it was a comfortable way of touching and she found it rather soothing.

Slowly pulling away, Kal'fa spread his lower mandibles in a smile at seeing the female take pleasure in the intimate touch. Knowing that she had enjoyed it was enough for now. Had she been in heat or released a mating musk, indicating her readiness to mate, he would have had more difficulties in moving back. But for now they had to take things one step at a time.

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Eight hours after the strengthening drug had been administered, Cora continued to sleep on. Tofvi had returned once to check on her at the five hour mark and had determined that nothing seemed out of place before leaving. However, after she continued to rest and had not once stirred, Sorus started to worry. In a few hours all the hunters would be up and the healers would return to the medical bay at the start of a new day.

Raising his clawed hand to the face slightly turned toward him, Sorus gently stroked her cheek. He observed that she was a little warmer than usual but felt relief when Cora moved a little to stretch before opening her eyes. "Wh...Where is everyone?" Noting that her voice was soft and raspy, and that she appeared to be extremely tired, he frowned.

Moving closer, Sorus brought his forearm across her back when she shifted and helped her sit up. Still carefully observing her every move, he continued to take mental notes when Cora, despite the warmth of the room, shivered when the blanket dropped and leaned heavily against him for support. She wasn't just warm, her body temperature was unusually hot for an ooman. Putting a clawed hand on her shoulder, he leaned down to her, "Everyone is resting. Do you want to return to your room to rest?" He held onto her, to steady her, as she slid down the table.

Standing up, Cora shuddered slightly as if cold then reached for the fur blanket and pulled it around her shoulders. "I want to see Andree first before resting."

Nodding, Sorus led the way with the fragile female following slowly behind. Though wanting her to rest, he was determined to find the cause of her sickness. He needed to know if it was from the drugs she was given or if this was an ooman sickness. In seeing Andree first, the huntress would be able to tell if this was an ooman illness. Walking down the corridor, he kept his pace slow and kept Cora close in case she collapsed. Her movements were sluggish and she appeared lethargic. After spending more than half a day unconscious, he had thought her to be well rested. However, this was not to be and she seemed, unexpectedly, more worse off than before.

On reaching the third level, Sorus slowed the pace even further when Cora looked like she was on the brink of passing out. Resting his clawed hand on her shoulder, he gently pulled her against his side so she could lean part of her weight against him for much needed support. Waiting in the corridor for a response after knocking on the elder's door, the elite warrior glanced down to see a weary expression on the young face. Cora was unusually quiet and he was certain that it wasn't just this new condition that caused her silence. The young healer was no doubt thinking about her friend and, despite her own ill-being, worries for Andree alone could very well be the only thing that occupied her mind.

Hearing the soft click in the door, he was glad that they did not have to wait long for Kal'fa to open it. The surprise the elder held at Cora's ill appearance was plain to see and it was evident that the elder was also shocked with this. Bowing his head in respect, Sorus asked on the silent healer's behalf, "May we see Andree?"

Moving aside, Kal'fa directed Cora over to the bed in silence gesture. Both yautja watched as she knelt beside the bed and laid her head on the edge. Bringing his attention back to Sorus, the elder spoke softly,_"She doesn't look well. Is this the after effects of the drugs?"_

Keeping his gaze on the small kneeling form, Sorus shook his head. _"I do not know if this is due to the drugs or if it is an ooman sickness. She is too worried about Andree to even notice the decline in her own health. I brought her here to observe Andree's reaction to her, it should give a clue as to what is wrong with her." _

Squeezing Andree's left hand, dangling over the side of the bed, Cora watched with tired eyes as her friend stirred from her sleep and blink a few times to wakefulness. Smiling widely at Cora, the huntress squeezed her hand back. "It's nice to see you up!" Not bothering to sit up because of the soreness in her chest, Andree continued to look up at her friend and smiled. "Thanks for helping when Yedin attacked me."

Avoiding Andree's gaze the healer looked at the bed instead. "I wasn't much help. I couldn't stop him from attacking you."

Shaking her head, the huntress tugged on her friend's hand to have Cora return her gaze. "You helped draw my attention away from him through most of the assault. My fears were eased when I felt that someone else was present there to protect me." Not able to give Cora a hug, Andree took the healer's hand and pressed it to her chest. "You brought me hope in those dark moments. You were a light in the darkness when I thought I was suffering alone."

Not being able to see Cora's down cast eyes through her fringe, Andree raised her hand up to remove the curtin of hair. She shot upright in bed when she felt the hot forehead but sharp pain in her chest caused her to slump back down to the soft furs. Staring at Cora with wide eyes, the huntress almost shouted, "You're burning up! Didn't you notice that you got a fever running?" Andree then turned to face Kal'fa and Sorus. "We have to go to a human medical centre. She needs medication."

Cora leaned against the bed for support as the huntress spoke to the hunters. Too tired to respond verbally she squeezed Andree's hand to reassure her that she was fine. She didn't want anyone to fuss over this. What was there to worry about? After all, no one had died from a simple fever in centuries.

Before Kal'fa could respond, Sorus stepped pass him and knelt beside Cora while looking up at Andree. "You rest here, you need to heal your injuries. I will take Cora to an ooman medical centre." Helping a reluctant Cora stand, he slowly walked her out of the room.

Before they reached the entrance, Andree smiled softly and called out, "You had better be fully recovered when I next see you."

Glancing back Cora laughed softly, then countered, "Then I guess this is another race to the finish. We'll just have to see who gets better first." Observing this strange ooman interaction, both yautja shook their head inwardly and sighed. Neither could understand how these two could joke about their sufferings in the current state.

As the pair started to move to the door, Andree called out again, "Cora, give Sorus the small yautja device that is placed beside the mini computer."

Seeing Cora raise an eyebrow in a silent question to ask what the device was, Andree chuckled softly before answering, "It's a surprise. Sorus will know what to do with it when he sees it. But you will have to help him understand this...gift." Mouthing an okay, Cora turned and headed out the room.

Walking down the corridor, Sorus put a forearm across her shoulders, over the blanket, to press her against him. "I will take you to your room to gather what you need for this trip, we will then use my ship to seek an ooman medical centre."

Feeling lightheaded and too exhausted to meet his gaze and reply, Cora lay her head against his side and simply nodded. She had planned on telling Sorus about landing on one of the planets mentioned on the mini human computer that she and Andree had recently found but the silence at the present moment felt better. She would tell him the news of their discovery later when they got back to her room.

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**Author's note: **_I have given infernothechinchilla permission to use my character - Cora, in the development of a new fan fic story. Our stories, however, will not be linked. _

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**Special thanks to the following people:**

**Juju:**_Thank you for your review. I am really glad to know that you would consider my story in your library of favorite fan fics. Hope the wait wasn't too long :)_

**Ginstar3: **_Thanks for the beautiful review. I was truly elated when I read that you were inspired by this chapter. Yup, Sorus is taking every opportunity he gets in drawing closer to Cora. She doesn't train as a hunter so he has no chance of 'saving' her in such a situation but this medical procedure presents the perfect chance to help her so I thought it'd be nice to see him take a real step forward. Guess Kal'fa's pretty much doing the same - and as he and Andree (on-drey) are on a similar level of understanding they can advance more quickly. Also, with using various expressions in writing - it isn't the easiest thing to do as I was sometimes cracking my head to think of ways to show the character's emotions - this was partially the cause of the late posting of the last chapter. And I got to really thank you once again for you kind patience in waiting for the posting of this chapter. Would have love to give you a hug for your lovely review but flying from Australia to New York is a bit of a distance so I'd have to keep to posting this hug to you :)_

**Darkness Maiden of Avalon: **_Sorry to keep you waiting for so long. Will let you know in advance now that it will take about three to four weeks for chapters to be posted. ;)_

**infernothechinchilla:**_ I'm glad you liked the depth/view points of each character - I have to admit that this is not the easiest thing to do when several characters are in one scene. Another thing is the expression of emotion. It isn't the easiest thing to put on paper and I found that this a little challenge in itself. To be honest, I found it a little easier when I put myself in the character's shoes and imagine the character's feeling/response before writing - takes time to go through the emotions and put it down but I feel that in writing the emotions in more detail, it will help readers get a better feel of the situation in the story._

**(unknown): **_Thank you for the review._ _Yes, that is right. A constant threat will be floating in the background and will only emerge toward the end of part two. Hmm, in terms of coupling in this story, though it may be a part of it, it isn't my intention to have this as the primary focus of the story. Despite many situations drawing the attention to such an outcome, a__s mentioned in the summary, the sum of all the events that will occur in this story was to draw on the understanding of two completely different species. But I appreciate your honest feelings in the direction of this story. :) It's really nice to know what people think when they read the story as this gives me an indication of what other details I need to put in to make it more interesting. _

**tain89: **_Thank you for reviewing. Yes, Yedin reaped what he had sowed. With Cora saving Andree - i had it in mind to give Cora a more active role without it being directly involved in any actions that would land her a rank of hunter. I love reading other stories of humans learning the ways of the hunter but wanted Cora to join the yautja and still be able to actively contribute in something realistic. :)_

**Zarsthor:** _I had to laugh when I read about your thoughts of tying Yedin to ham and giving him to the aliens. I went on to imagine that the other predators recorded the event, using their masks, and gave it to the females to watch! Am really glad that you enjoyed the long chapter...and with withdrawal symptoms - I guess my only cure at present is to update asap (I'll do my best to update a little faster but will follow your previous advise in not rushing too much and put up poorly written chapters). With regards to Andree and Kal'fa, I will touch on their developments every now and again - they didn't have an argument in this chapter but you'll have to wait and see what happens between them. :) And about the yautja baby issue - I will address this in greater detail in following chapters. Your anticipation of Cora's reaction to the 'news' of the medical procedures will also be addressed in the coming chapter. _

**QuickStar: **_Yes! To be honest, i'm not too sure I would like to be in their shoes either. However, in saying that, life is a roller coaster so if there are bad times than good times are sure to follow. The ups and downs is going to be something that will be present from now till the end of the story. Oh, and don't you worry, I will update - it will just take a little longer sometimes. ;)_

**Yautja's Blooded Pet: **_Thanks for the review! Yup! This is one of a few turning points in the story. And I promise you that there will definitely be other villains (other than Darren). And yes, I read about the __yautja blood/flesh affecting another species' lifespan in some of the darkhorse comics. Details of how yautja blood affects humans will slowly be pulled into the story and will be covered in different chapters but in regards to the life extension - it will most likely be addressed only in the third part of the story (Bonds that are tested in fire). Once again, thank you for the great review - it is great to know that you are feeling the growth in the characters. _

**Rebal21: **_Thank you for your review and for your kind patience in waiting. It isn't easy to always find the inspiration to write but reviews do help in giving me the inner energy to continue writing the long chapters (especially after a tired day at work). :) _


	37. Heading to the medical centre

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

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**Chapter 37**

Heading to the medical centre

Walking into the room both females shared, Sorus guided Cora to sit on the bed then stood to the side. In the short time that she had been awake, he'd found that she was completely drained of energy. Not wanting her condition to worsen further, he had intended to get on the move immediately. However, in her frail state, he would have to take it at her pace. What bothered him now was the fact that he would have to find a planet closeby that was inhabited by oomans.

As if reading his thoughts, Cora stood up slowly and took the mini human computer and the palm sized yautja device from the table beside the bed. Handing the alien technology to Sorus, she turned her attention back to the mini computer. Tapping a few buttons, she looked up to meet his gaze as the computer proceessed the information and hummed in her hand. Looking at the item in Sorus' hand, she gave him a questioning look.

Seeing the curious look from the healer, Sorus closed his hand over the device and simply stated, "This attaches to the wrist computer. It will allow me to upload and supply different visual outputs in the hunting mask." Then clicking softly he added, "Andree must have assisted with perfecting the ooman sight."

Smiling in understanding, Cora cleared her throat. "Ah, I think I know why Andree said I would need to help you with this gift." Then reaching out to trace the outline of the device in the warm clawed hand, she chuckled softly, "Well, if you're going to see the world the way I see it, I guess this trip would be more interesting when we discuss things in color."

When the computer gave the visual output of the recently discovered information, Cora returned her attention to it and turned a little more serious. "Sorus, when Andree and I were last in the map room, we found the coordinates of a desert planet mentioned in this device. It should have a medical centre there and it isn't a long distance to travel." Though her sickly voice did not portray the excitement she felt, her facial expression had conveyed her feelings. They had finally gotten some useful information and could, at long last, take action.

Moving to the storage area to pack a few items into her backpack, the young woman glanced up at her silent friend. She figured that Sorus was considering and processing the unexpected findings she'd just relayed when he stood stock still in the middle of the room. Seeing the surprised expression in the slight spread of mandibles, she had wondered how he would respond to this news.

The hunter looked over Cora and breath in deeply. He knew he should be happy to hear this, however, whatever feelings he had at the moment were anything but good. Walking up to the young healer, Sorus rest a clawed hand on her shoulder and shook his head. "It is not safe to go there. If the hard meat are kept there then that is no place for you to heal."

Adjusting the weight of the backpack on her shoulders, Cora crossed her arms in frustration at his response. "We don't know for sure if that planet is the one with the xenos. Besides, all human inhabited planets have medical centres and unless you know of another planet occupied by humans nearby then this place is as good as any."

From his expression it was clear that Sorus was still reluctant due to the potential dangers that might be present but she wasn't going to give up on this so easily. They had gotten the information after almost a half year of fruitless search and now she had the chance to attain more infromation on the xenos from the planet as well as heal at the same time. Moving to stand before him and staring directly at him, she challenged, "Though I'm tired, I still have energy for a debate if that's what it takes to get us going. I'm not getting any better waiting here."

Hearing him growl, Cora knew she had stepped out of line and backdown. Casting her eyes down a little, she softened her tone, "Please Sorus, we can use this opportunity to gain more information about the missing xenos if we go there."

Reluctantly agreeing with her reasoning, Sorus nodded and turned, leading the way to his ship. He knew that Cora was right but couldn't help thinking that if the _kainde amedha_ was indeed there then she would be placing herself in grave danger. He could not fight while watching out for her at the same time. Furthermore, in the current situation he could not request for more hunters to join them as it was still uncertain if the hard meat were present. For now, he would have to treat this as a scouting trip.

On reaching his ship, he typed in the code to unlock the hatch and open the door. Leading Cora in, he gave a quick tour to help orient her to the place. Though it was meant for solitary hunters, after ranking up as an elite among the honored, he'd earn the luxuries of a larger ship that could accommodate a female yautja if he chose to have a mate onboard. While touring the ship, he frowned when he noticed the change in the way the young healer was carrying herself. Her posture alone indicated that she had become more fatigued after coming onboard his vessel. Heading to the main controls, he was going to determine what had caused this change.

Entering the control room, which was similar but smaller in size compared to the larger vessels, he directed Cora to sit on the sole chair that was present then crouched down. Using the back of his hand, he gently pressed it on the side of her neck to gauge her tempreature and tilted his head as he questioned her, "You look very tired after boarding my ship. Why?"

Giving her friend a tired smile, Cora leaned heavily against the backrest of the chair. "The temperature here is much higher than the training ship..." Then closing her eyes momentarily, she wiped away the sweat on her forehead. "I am used to the warm temperature in the training ship but now that I have this fever even that level of heat is a little too much for me bear."

Nodding in understanding, Sorus stood up then turned to the controls. Bringing the temperature below that of the training ship, he hoped that it would help with her condition. The only area in the training ship that was set to a much higher temperature was the _kehrite_ and, being blooded as a pure healer, she did not frequent that area and was probably not used to it. The heat always helped in maintaining alertness and kept his body ready for action. And having hunted alone for so long, he had left the heat in his vessel on high.

Turning around, the hunter studied the slumped form, leaning on her side against the backrest of the chair. Seeing her relaxed posture made his heart swell; it felt good to see to the female's comfort. The cold was not preferable as they made his kind slower to respond but, as long as it was not too cold, it would not be too difficult for him to adapt. Afterall, he could still wear his mesh suit if the temperature was not warm enough.

Moving from the control room, the warrior led her through the rest of the ship and showed her the small _kehrite_, the bedroom and shower area as well as the spacious trophy, armory room and eating area. Ending the tour in the sleeping area, he left Cora to settle in and rest while he updated the elders before their departure.

With Sorus leaving to talk to the elders, Cora went to the bathroom to relief herself before having another quick look around the ship. The bathroom in itself was impressive already. The bath area was massive – it was semi-circle in shape with an eight foot length tub at one end that meld to something that resembled a spa. Moving closer, she found that the tub was actually a step into the 'mini pool'. There was even a sitting bench that lined the circumference of the 'spa' area. 'Gosh! Being a high ranking hunter definitely had its advantages.'

Walking out the room, she moved on to other areas. The vessel only looked a third of the hunting ship that she and Andree first boarded but it was rather spacious inside. The layout of the ship was simple. Moving out the bedroom she glanced to the right at the control room before walking across the passage way to the trophy room, which was situated opposite the sleeping area.

Taking in the different skulls displayed on three massive walls, she couldn't help but be impressed by his collection. There were trophies of several different species, many which she had never come across before. Admiring a few trophies of an unknown species, Cora smiled inwardly. She did not like the unnecessary killing of any creature but after living with the hunters, she had come to appreciate some of their kills. Besides, they did not kill mindlessly; their code of honor would not allow it.

Tracing the outline of a xeno skull, she reflected on the events of the past months. Boarding the yautja vessel had been an experience and an adventure that none could compare with. In the first weeks, she didn't think she'd ever be able to successfully befriend this race, yet over time many things which she believed to be impossible proved otherwise.

Walking back out to the corridor she passed the boarding ramp, situated at the mid section of the ship, and slowly made her way down to the eating area. Looking ahead at the last three rooms down the hallway, she smiled. Already, the change in the tempreature could be felt and she silently thanked Sorus for being so considerate as she enjoyed the comfort in the soothing coolness.

Glancing briefly behind her at the locked door to the armory, that was located diagonally opposite the eating area, she pressed the symbol of a blade then another with a clawed hand on the wall to gain access to the 'kitchen'. Wandering in, she smiled at the thought of a yautja preparing food but shook those thoughts away when she spotted the food preparation area at the back of the room. The food preparation bench was much larger then the med tables and had an oval pipe attached at the end.

Looking at the tube, she was certain that it was where the waste would go and assumed that it would have functions that were similar to the toilets. When she and Andree had asked about how their toilets worked, a few months after they boarded, it had made a few of the senior yautja chuckle at the seemingly simple question. They had learnt that the toilets used a substance with acidic like qualities to completely get rid of the bodily waste.

Scanning the rest of the room Cora noted that the preparation area was much larger than the actual eating area, which only consisted of a long table and bench. Putting her hand on the table, she smiled at the memory of Sorus telling her about the times he hunted alone. Even as a solitary hunter, he hunted fairly large prey for food. This apparently allowed him to spend more time learning and tracking worthy prey for his wall rather than waste time worrying about stocking up on food. And looking at the actual eating area now, it seem as if solo hunters did not spend much time relaxing and eating leisurely.

The setup of the place was kept simple; it was truly just an _eating_ _area_, meant purely to serve the purpose of sustaining the body. Besides the table and bench, the wash basin at the side was the only other thing that she recognized. The yautja 'water', which was used for both showering and drinking, was light and tasteless. And it came as a bit of a surprise to her and Andree when they found that yautja did not require soap. Their water contained natural properties that apparently cleansed their bodies both internally and externally of any impurities.

Hearing her stomach growl, Cora suppressed the urge to open the storage walls to look for food. Despite Sorus being a close friend, this was _his _ship and she didn't think he would appreciate her snooping around. Having a tour around was one thing but to assume that he would allow her to do more than that was something else. Stretching, she stifled a yawn and slowly walked back to the bedroom to rest.

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Quickly returning to his room, on the main ship, Sorus donned his amour after speaking to both elders and swiftly headed back to his ship. He was pleased when K'rve, who was aware of his concerns and did not want to put Cora in harm's way, had approved of him scouting the desert planet. The leader had made in clear that he was keen to end this particular hunt and wanted to be informed immediately, should the hard meat be discovered.

While making his way back to the ship, Sorus made a quick detour to the dining area. He planned to provide for, if courting went well, his future mate. After grabbing a few items, he walked back down the corridor toward the docks. He was certain that Cora, after having slept such a long time without nutrition, would be hungry. And though there was enough meat in his ship to last a few weeks, it was cooked differently. Besides, it was probably better to bring food that she was already familiar with.

Storing the food away, he started up the ship and skillfully maneuvered it out of the docks. After setting the coordinates for the desert planet, Sorus removed his armor and stored it in the armory before heading to the bedroom. There were no signs of the young healer in the other rooms and knowing that she was tired, he figured she would be resting. A little surprised to find the bed unoccupied he looked around the room to find Cora sleeping soundly in her sleeping bag, on the floor, next to the bed. Instead of feeling frustrated at her resting on the cool hard ground, he smiled inwardly.

It was evident that she had studied the details of some of their customs and learnt that only mates shared a bed. Since they were not mates and there was only one bed, she had taken to sleeping on the floor. Silently moving over to the sleeping female, he slid his arms under the sleeping bag and gently lifted her up to the bed. Seeing that he was courting her as a mate, he would treat her as such. It was take just under two days to get to their destination and this would hopefully give her some quiet and needed rest.

Walking to the door, he glanced back at the small form occupying his bed before heading back to the armory. This trip might not turn out to be so bad after all, at least he would have some private time alone with her on this journey. Smiling at this thought, Sorus proceeded to upload the new sight into his mask then returned to the sleeping chambers to test it. The ooman vision was rather interesting but he had already found a weakness in this sight. It could not determine tempreature.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, beside Cora, the warrior looked down at her and wondered how she deduced between the hot and cold. Placing his hand under the side of her jaw, his amber eyes soften when she leaned slightly into his lukewarm palm. Even through using his sense of touch, as far as he could tell, she was still extremely warm. Hearing a rumbling sound coming from her stomach, he chuckled softly and was thankful that he took time to bring extra food along.

Slowly easing his hand away, he brought it up and ran it gently through her soft brown hair. While studying Cora's features using this new sight, he silently pondered their current situation. Now that they were alone he would have the perfect opportunity to show just how much she meant to him. Moreover, being able to care for her in sickness, despite her being ooman, might just be what she needed to see. They were different species but that didn't mean that he did not know how to care for her.

Rising, Sorus soundlessly walked out the room and closed the door. It had been a while since he trained and he didn't want the tired female being disturbed from sleep while he honed his skills with the blade. Putting the mask away, he slowly made his way to the small training room at the end of the passage.

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After a few hours of sleep, instead of feeling sore from the hard ground, Cora woke to the feel of soft furs under her. Getting out of the sleeping bag and bed, she rolled up the sleeping bag and put it away before heading out the room to look for Sorus. Hearing sound coming from the training room, she silently walked down then stood at the entrance to watch the warrior train with his spear.

Yautja were large creatures and, even though she had seen some training sessions in passing, never had she witnessed the beauty in the fluent motions as the ones displayed before her now. The smoothness in his movements made the deadly dance unusually mesmerizing. And as if hypnotized Cora was slowly drawn into the room, ultimately ceasing the seemingly beautiful moving scene.

Jumping off the slightly raised platform, Sorus walked up to the still dazed female. Holding in a chuckle but smiling widely, he rested a clawed hand on her shoulder and leaned down. "Perhaps you should come and watch me train more often."

Blushing at his comment, Cora quickly looked away and changed the subject. "Why did you put me on your bed? I do not want to deprive you of rest."

Raising a brow at this, Sorus replied softly. "You are not well and should not rest on the ground. And you did not deprive me of rest. If I wanted to sleep I would have laid beside you."

Feeling her face warm to a deeper shade of red, Cora was about to answer back when a loud growl from her stomach called for their immediate attention. Hearing this, the hunter chuckled lightly in response and she looked up at him. "Um...do you have anything onboard to eat?"

Tapping his upper mandibles and grinning slightly, Sorus led the way to the eating area. Taking the food out and putting it on the table, he sat down and ate with the hungry female. Seeing Cora eat at a leisurely pace, he spread his mandibles in a small smile as she relaxed. "I thought you might be hungry so I brought some food onboard before taking off."

Noting that all the different foods Sorus took were ones that she preferred having during meals, Cora looked at him curiously. There was no way that this was a coincidence. He must have been really observant to have picked all seven items that she frequented and avoided taking all other foods. Touched by this gesture, she placed her hand over his and smiled. "Thanks Sorus."

A little surprised that his hand was not quite as warm as it normally was, Cora slid her hand into his palm. Wetting her throat to ease the soreness, she asked softly, "Why is your hand cool?"

Closing his clawed hand over hers, he gently squeezed her hand a little. "Yautja do not regulate body warmth as well as oomans do. We function better in warmer conditions." Sensing her concern, he added, "Do not worry, my kind can still function in cooler conditions, we only respond a little slower than normal."

After reflecting on this information and comparing it to other species, Cora wondered aloud. "Would this affect your mood in anyway?" She knew that certain animals, when placed in a vulnerable condition, would become agitated more easily as it was a natural means of self-defense. But with the yautja, she did not know.

Nodding in response, the warrior replied. "Yautja are more aggressive in such conditions but this perhaps applies more to younger hunters as they do not adapt so easily." Seeing that he raised her curiosity he continued, "Unlike other species, yautja adapt better when we are older." He almost added the fact that their sense of smell was heightened with aging but not wanting to embarrass her further, he kept the fact to himself. There was no need for her to know that he could tell when she was in heat. Instead, noting that Cora was still listening intently, he gave her a purposeful look before carefully adding. "Seasoned hunters are also able to adapt to another species' comforts to remain close to them."

Not catching his drift, Cora merely nodded and continued eating in silence. She assumed that older hunters made minor changes in their lifestyle to observe and learn more about their prey. Never had it dawned on her that she was right in a way; just not in the sense that the warrior meant it. As the topic had gone cold after their meal, she proceeded to ask Sorus if they could talk in his trophy room. She had been intrigued about some of the skulls and enjoyed listening to his adventures rather than just admire his trophies.

Time seemed to stand still as they sat in the trophy room laughing and talking about some of his hunts. And for the very first time since she came to know the yautja, Cora felt completely relaxed. In listening to the adventurous tales from the deep soothing voice, the soft purring had gone unnoticed when she rested her head against the warrior's arm and started to doze lightly. It was only when a strong hand held her up, when she drooped down sharply, that had startled her to wakefulness. Yawning into her hand, she made no protest when Sorus guided her back to his sleeping chambers and laid down beside her to rest.

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In the time spent travelling to the desert planet, Sorus noticed that Cora had gradually grown weaker. She had a loss of appetite and was constantly tired. Her body temperature seem to be on the rise and she had slept through much of the trip. The only time she left the bedroom was when she had something light to eat or when she sat on the floor of the _kehrite _to watch him train. And even when he sat with her in the training area to talk, she only gave short replies due to the increasing soreness in her throat.

With a few hours left before arriving at their destination, the warrior watched from the corner of his eye as Cora slowly made her way into the training area and sat against the wall to observe him. Finishing the execise after a few more minutes, he lightly hopped down the platform and walked over to sit beside her. In their last conversation he had explained to her in detail about the operation she had undergone and the administration of the drugs in her system. Though she didn't seem too concerned about having his DNA in her organ, he knew that she was still bothered by the drug given to her.

Deciding to use an indirect approach to address this sensitive issue, he spoke with care, "In your busy ooman occupation have you thought about having offspring?"

Glancing up at Sorus, Cora nodded. "I was hoping that after Andree and I finished this hunt, I would return to my homeworld and settle down after working a while more. I was hoping to perhaps have two or three children in time."

Sensing her despair, as the young woman brought her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly, Sorus tilted his head at her and rested a clawed hand on her shoulder. "Why do you only hope for this? Are you uncertain about having young?"

Turning to look at the questioning look in the amber eyes, she sighed. Despite being thankful that Sorus had helped in providing his blood to save her reproductive organ, she didn't know if she could bear young with foreign medicines in her system. A little afraid of the answer her friend would give, she started slowly, "With my system adapting to your DNA I...wasn't sure if I would still be able to have children with my own kind."

Tapping his lower mandibles, Sorus looked away and stared at an empty corner of the room. It hurt to hear her response but he bottled his concerns away and answered her. "Yes. You can still bear young with your kind. The chances that you bear young with your kind will always be much higher than with ours." Looking to the ground he added softly after a moment, "Over the years, there have been some in our race who claimed other speices as mates. However, it was previously not possible for a non-yautja race to bear young with our kind."

Slowly raising his gaze to meet hers, Sorus continued softly while studying her reaction. "The drug that was injected into your womb was invented to enable the bearing of pups between our species. But in your case, it was given to help you absorb another drug that only responded to our DNA."

Raising her head from hugging her knees, Cora looked over at Sorus and smiled. "Thank you for telling me this. Even though I was practicing as a healer I did not know all this." Then thinking about Andree, she smiled slightly. If the huntress knew that altering her DNA slightly would enable her to bear yautja pups then this would no doubt be good news. Nudging the hunter's side, she cleared her throat, "Also, I think this would be good news for Andree as she is drawn to one of the hunters."

Nodding knowingly at the information, Sorus then pondered about her relationship with Tofvi and Hrael. Cora had only began to mingle more with the other hunters a little over two months ago but she seemed to have drawn close to her immediate seniors and it had come to his attention. Having recently learnt from Hrael that the female had adopted a sibling bond with both males, he found this information somewhat interesting as she had previously not mentioned it to him before.

Standing to follow Cora into the eating area, he waited as she took a couple of items from the storage area in the back. When she had settled down to eat a few pieces of the tenderly cooked meat, he rattled softly, "Why did you adopt a sibling bond with both healers?"

Seeing the puzzlement in his gaze, Cora smiled. "As you know, I'm an only child so I guess I founded a bond with them during my training." Then swallowing a little to wet her throat, she explained in detail, "You see, on some occasions, when I checked the medkits of the other younger hunters I was often bullied by the young bloods. And though they did not have to, after both Tofvi and Hrael caught one hunter taunting me, they seemed to watch out for me rather often."

Then patting her friend's clawed hand, she laughed softly and pointed out, "Just like you, they also protected me when I ran into trouble."

Hearing this, Sorus grunted. It was not customary for a female to speak highly or kindly about other males in front of a courting male but she obviously was still unaware of his intentions toward her. His dreadlocks waved slightly as he turned his head away from her and stared at the wall on the far end of the room. "You must have felt very close to them."

Noting his voice sounding awfully distant, Cora took a quick sip of water before replying in a gentle tone, "I guess we drew close because of the time we spent together in training." Seeing Sorus sigh, it was not difficult to tell that this was bothering him. Tilting her head to one side, she then wondered if Sorus wanted a brotherly bond with her as well.

Still, having this warrior as an older brother somehow didn't feel right. Gazing up to study the side of his face, Cora smiled slightly when she noticed his lower right mandible tapping lightly in a show of annoyance. Putting the cup down on the table, she decided to sort this out. Besides, they were both always open with each other so there was no harm asking. "Sorus, I can see that this news is a little upsetting to you. So....I was just wondering if you wanted such a bond with me?"

Turning his head sharply to face Cora, he looked at her with his deep amber gaze and studied the innocent questioning look. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes and was glad that she did not feel comfortable with having this type connection to him. Breathing in deeply, he replied in a firm but gentle manner, "It is an honorable offer but I do not wish for this sort of bond with you."

Sighing in relief, Cora curved her lips upward in a gentle smile. "I'm glad you did not say yes. I honestly didn't feel like you and I were meant for that kind of bond anyway."

A little surprised at this reply, Sorus prodded her for an answer; perhaps he could use this to learn where he stood in her life. "What kind of bond do you think we share?" Waiting for her reply, he silently planned to point her in the direction of asking a more personal question.

Drinking more water to keep the aching in her throat at bay, Cora answered a moment later. "I think we are better as close friends. Just like Andree, I feel like I can talk with you about anything. With Tofvi and Hrael, I cannot relax completely as I do with you." Then tapping her chin with a finger, she added, "Actually, besides you and Andree, I don't think I have any other friends that are that close to me that I can confide everything in confidence."

Tilting his head to one side, Sorus carefully questioned, "How about your homeworld, Aldetifia. Do you not have someone there that is close to you? Like a mate?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Cora thought for awhile before responding. "Hmm, there is perhaps only one person I might consider as a potential mate. He's actually a good friend and colleague." Not noticing the hunter beside her stiffen slightly at her words, she shrugged her shoulders to brush away the thoughts of a partner and continued. "But I haven't seen or spoken to him in such a long time so things might have changed."

After lounging around for awhile more Sorus frowned inwardly at sensing how tired she was. Feeling her shift to stand, he stood up and walked her back to the bedroom. Her body was still exhausted from her condition. Walking just behind Cora, he sighed inwardly. Although she had not openly rejected him, having insight to her thoughts was enough to make him frown at another male being with her.

What was it that her male ooman friend could provide that he couldn't? He knew of her desire to learn of other species as well as explore and travel to different worlds, and this was something that could easily be fulfilled. Also, in spite of his upbringing, he understood the young female's dislike for unnecessary violence and he respected her values despite it being so different from his own. He accepted her for who she was and was protective and exceptionally gentle with her. And he couldn't help but wonder if there was more that _that _ooman male could do that he couldn't.

Seeing the young female settle in bed and yawn, he held back the urge to ask. From her actions as well as what she had told him in the past months, it was obvious that she enjoyed his company and held strong feelings for him. However, she did not seem to be aware of this. Walking back to the control room, he decided not to press the issue. This was something Cora would come to realize in time.

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**Author's note: **_Sorry about the long wait. The next chapter will not be as long a wait (should be out in a week or two). Please read and review. _

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**Special thanks to the following people:**

**Zarsthor: **_Thank you for your review. I'm glad to know that you are looking forward to their fieldtrip. I promise, the next chapter will be on the desert planet and will get the plot moving along with the baddies coming into action. _

**Miss Masquerade: **_Thank you for your kind review. Am really happy to know that you have enjoyed the story so far and hope you will continue to enjoy it till the end :)_

**Captain Razz:**_ Thank you for reviewing. Great to know that you are looking forward to the next chapter. _


	38. The road to recovery

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens and predator**

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**Chapter 38**

The road to recovery

Soon after arriving on the planet, Sorus cloaked the ship and landed on the outskirts of the ooman settlement. On returning to the bedroom, he was a little surprised to see Cora already awake. Picking her backpack up, he led her to the control room. They would inform the main ship of their landing before proceeding to the ooman settlement. Also, he wanted to settle his companion before heading out. Despite knowing that Andree was taken care of by Kal'fa, she had been worried about the huntress for much of the trip.

Sending a message on Cora's behalf, he clicked lightly when a reply came shortly after the message was sent. It was obvious that K'rve was in the control centre and made the immediate reply. _'I see that our young ooman healer is still concerned about the health of others despite her own weakening. Tell her that Andree is in good hands and will continue to be taken care of by Kal'fa.'_

Chuckling as he read the message, the warrior turned and relayed it to Cora who stood behind him with a slight smile on her face. "Come, we will go to the ooman medical centre." Donning on his armor and mask Sorus frowned when he noted just how much higher her body temperature was. This temperature was not normal for oomans and would surely be dangerous for her to remain in such a state.

Leading the young ooman slowly out the ship, he made sure it was secured before clipping her backpack over his shoulder and scooping her up. Looking at her through his mask, Sorus clicked lightly at her weak struggles to get down and tighten his grip on her shoulder in a meaningful grasp to cease the futile attempt. "It is a fair distance to travel and you are too weak in your condition to make the trip." Seeing Cora glance up at him briefly before reluctantly settling down to lean her head against his shoulder, he shifted her slightly to support her weight on his forearms before typing into his wrist computer to cloaked them both. It was late afternoon when they had left the ship and the dry heat had dropped significantly when the settlement came into view. Making it over to the ooman buildings swiftly, Sorus gently squeezed her shoulder to inform her of their arrival after he passed the outer most buildings. The ooman buildings were scattered around here but he could see a small clutter of larger buildings nearby. Feeling Cora put her hand on his shoulder, he carefully put her down and handed her the backpack.

Nodding her thanks, Cora glanced over at the tall buildings. "The medical clinic should be in the larger buildings in the centre of town." The moment her hand dropped from his shoulder, completely detaching herself from him, the cloak and warmth immediately fell away.

Putting a clawed hand on her shoulder, Sorus leaned down to see her eye to eye. "I will be close."

Eyeing the camouflage in front of her, Cora laughed softly. Raising her hand up to where she thought his mask would be, she rested her hand on the side of it. Feeling the slight vibration from the soft purring, she smiled before jokingly adding, "Are you going to be my personal bodyguard?"

Raising his free hand, Sorus lifted her chin slightly and gently stroked her jawline using his clawed thumb to indicate that he was serious. Sighing softly Cora dropped her hand. "Have a bit of faith in me, I can handle myself." Massaging her throat and swallowing to wet the dry soreness, she continued slowly, "I'll see you back here tomorrow evening after I get the medication and stock up on what Andree and I might need." For the moment she hoped that Sorus could gather more information on the missing xenos instead of wasting his time watching over her.

Releasing her, Sorus watched as she slowly made her way to the larger buildings in the middle of the settlement. The buildings in the outer rim were scattered about so he couldn't run out in the open during the day as it was possible someone might notice him even when he was cloaked. But he was silently thankful that the sun was beginning to set. Instead of following at a distance, when it got dark, he could stay closer to the young female as well as have a look around more freely.

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It felt a little strange to be walking amongst people after spending a half year with the yautja but it was nice to be with her own kind again. Smiling inwardly, Cora was thankful that spending months away in the wilderness in her occupation had somewhat allowed her to settle more easily. Moving toward the clutter of buildings closeby, she could see a few people causally making their way to the scattered houses and small apartment blocks on the outer rim; people who were obviously returning home.

This planet was similar to a few others she had visited. Sections of land with livestock to sustain the population, small plots of land for housing, and the main business and work buildings in the central area for research of the planet's natural minerals. She was certain that most people or families living on this dusty world worked only to obtain the natural minerals and deliver it elsewhere. Amongst the planets that the ex-owner of Bolva owned, it did not seem likely that the xenomorphs would be kept here. Still, there was no way to be certain till she and Sorus investigated further.

Slowly making her way to the center of town, Cora laughed inwardly at the thought of the warrior following her, at what he had jokingly described as a pup's crawling pace. Dressed in a simple shirt and pants, she was grateful that the temperature was manageable at the moment. Had they arrive at night or midday, it would have been either too hot or cold for her.

Thinking back to what Andree had told her regarding Sorus' protectiveness, she reflected back to when they first met. The human trophy he carried had scared her then, and despite understanding his actions now, she was still a humanitarian. And the man Sorus killed had no doubt challenged him but she wasn't sure he deserved death as a justification for that. Having a greater understanding of their culture, she had found that the yautja species were every bit as complicated as humans. And all her observations and experiences with them had truly started with Sorus.

It was true that she found it strange for this hunter to want to understand her, and in turn it had drawn a keen desire in her to have a better understanding of not only his species but him as well. Sorus was a great and honorable hunter and, to her, he stood out from the others. She could not deny that being in his company was enjoyable as she didn't need to be on her guard around him like she had been with some of the other blooded. However, she could not agree with Andree in perceiving this as a bridging to being a couple. Still, it disturbed her to reflect on the huntress' words. 'Was Andree right about her denial of Sorus? Was he more than just a close friend?'

Scanning the rooftops and dusty outskirts for signs of the hunter's cloaked form, she frowned inwardly at her futile search. Despite being unable to sense his presence, she could feel her heartrate rise from the fact that the warrior was probably closeby and watching her. 'Where in the world was the root of this nervousness sprouting from?' She had been to several planets either alone or with a team and had never had this feeling. Yet, walking alone down the dry dusty road, this feeling refused to leave her.

Breathing in deeply Cora tried to shrug off the strange nervousness and instead tried to understand this blanket of warmth in feeling so protected. She was sure that it had something to do with the hunter saying that he was going to stay close. Slowly sorting out her thoughts, the young woman shook her head and laughed softly as her reasoning led to a certain conclusion; one that would no doubt be favored by Andree. But she couldn't lead herself to believe something like that. There was no way an elite like Sorus would want someone like her as a mate.

For one, she was not a huntress or a yautja breeder, therefore this reasoning would not stand. And secondly, though blooded and a part of the clan, she was an ooman; a soft meat prey. He would surely want to be with his own kind. His rank alone told of how desirable he would be to the females of his kind. And she had no doubt that Sorus was keen and would want to continue his line like any yautja hunter.

Chuckling inwardly, Cora brushed such silly thoughts away. Unlike Andree, she could never be with any of the hunters. The yautja race, though honorable, was constantly filled with violence and she wanted a peaceful life. It was easy enough to accept the hunting and harsh training the young had to endure, however, what ultimately made her uneasy was the hunting of her race. It wasn't only because she was of the same species, rather, it was due to the fact that they were sentient. Moreover, thoughts of growing accustomed to this predator race and allowing it to slowly strip away her humanity scared her. Had she been a huntress she might have felt differently, but alas that was not the case.

Still, in all honesty, she had truly been impressed when Sorus had shown her some of the trophies he obtained in his vessel through the years. And though not a huntress, she was not against the hunting of animals that were not endangered. She knew that the warrior was more than a little surprise to learn of her interest in the stories behind the trophies that weren't human but he wasn't the only one that was taken by surprised; her growing interest in this had made her astonished at herself as well.

Smiling inwardly, it was a pleasant memory to recall the warm glow radiating from Sorus when she had admired and expressed her interest in his prized trophies. He had kept silent about his elation but the fact that he was pleased did not go unnoticed and now that she reflected on this, she couldn't help but feel strangely happy with his reaction. Taking in the dry air, Cora shook her head to clear her thoughts. It was probably the delirium from the high fever that was deviating her train of thoughts to all these emotions.

Looking straight ahead at the many shops coming into view, the healer focused once again on the reason both she and Andree had first joined the clan. Her health aside, her primary purpose was to find information on the missing xenos, all other matters could wait; after all, a simple fever was easy enough to deal with. Now that they were here, she could not lose sight of what they had originally set out to achieve.

On entering the small city centre, Cora kept an eye out for an inn amongst the many buildings while making her way to several shops that were still open. Initially, she had planned to stock up after getting the medication in the medical centre but as some of the shops were still open she decided to doing the shopping first. With this out of the way, she could sleep in tomorrow morning as well as free up her day to look for more clues on the xenomorphs before meeting up with Sorus in the evening.

Quickly getting the materials she and Andree required, she shifted backpack on her shoulders and used the directions the shop assistant gave her to get to the medical centre. The light-headiness was gradually getting worse and the temperature was now dropping fast as the sky darkened. Walking a little faster, she hoped to get to the clinic before it got too cold.

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Tapping his mandibles in slight frustration, Sorus watched from above as Cora went from shop to shop gathering various items. 'Could she not do that after getting her health checked?' Satisfied that the female finally went inside a building with other oomans that did not look too well, he made his way to the back of the building and scaled the side wall of the facility. Having placed a small tracking device at the bottom of her backpack, he could follow her every move.

Briefly referring back to his wrist computer for her location, he made his way to the roof. Though he found it odd for oomans to make the ill go all the way to the top of the building for a checkup, he shrugged it off. This was after all an ooman building and he knew little about the way they treated their sick. Tracking Cora to one of the rooms at the top level, he quickly climbed into a large shaft that led into the building. Before long he made it close to the room she was in. Though he could not get close enough to the room to see her, he could listen in on the conversation.

The medical officer sat opposite his new patient, briefly looking at her while taking a few notes. "...you're here alone and just passing through to stock up on supplies?" Seeing the young woman nod, he continued, "Miss, though you've got the medication now, you still have quite a high temperature. Maybe you should rest in the medical ward for the night instead of going to a motel."

Shaking her head and waving off the offer, Cora sighed and looked a little more seriously at the man. "Look, I've gone through the medical checkup already and I know I only have a fever and it is easy to treat. If you're done with your questions I'd like to go now."

Looking at the young woman a moment longer, the medical officer sighed. "Alright. Anyway just remember to shower or at least regularly use wet towels to wipe down while you are on this planet, this will help lower your body temperature. And don't forget to drink lots of fluids along with the medication." Rising from the chair, he saw Cora out of the room then closed the door after she left.

Hearing the door close behind Cora, Sorus began to make his way out again when he heard the medical officer talking to someone. "-...yes, its about the next shipment. Listen, I just saw another patient and she's alone and not from around here...Yes, I understand but she refused to stay in the medical ward and is heading down now... I understand that.... Yes, she's a good catch- no one will question her missing. You better get her quick before she mingles into town. I'll see you later then..."

Sorus flared his mandibles in anger at hearing this. Sick oomans were apparently being taken from this medical facility to an unknown location. Growling at this information he made a mental note to kill these bad oomans after taking Cora from this place. Moving quickly, he crawled out the shaft and ran to the side of the building. Using a pipe to assist his descent, he made it to the fifth level when he heard sounds of struggling around the corner. Jumping down the rest of the way, he swiftly ran toward the sound.

Rushing toward Cora, he could see that even in her weakened state she'd put up quite a fight. She still faced the men but was on one knee and breathing hard. The two male oomans, standing a little ways from her, watched as if waiting for her to collapse and were too scared to approach. The first was grasping his bleeding neck where she had apparently clawed at him and the other was holding his stomach and rubbing at his wrist with a cloth in hand.

The thought of their attack infuriated him. 'How dare they attack an unarmed being.' Besides the fact that she was clan and someone of personal importance, he hated to witness an unjust fight. Unlike his race, Cora was the weaker gender in the ooman race, moreover, she was further weakened in her condition. The actions of these soft meat clearly showed that they were dishonorable filth.

Charging over in anger, Sorus ejected his wrist blades at the last moment. Plunging the blades into the first ooman with the wound on his neck, he cleaved his heart and lung in half. Swiftly pulling out the twin blades, he did not wait for the body to hit the ground before grabbing the other offending male by the throat to silence his scream.

He could smell the _pyode amedha's _fear as he roared in his face. Retracting the twin blades, he crushed the neck of the struggling form, instantly killing the small male. Dropping the body, Sorus turned his attention to the female shaking in fear. He had no intentions to kill any oomans on this trip and had certainly not wanted Cora to witness this. However, the fact remained that they had attacked and harmed her.

Looking back at the lifeless forms, he decided to forego skinning his prey this time round. As it were, Cora appeared to be in shock and he wasn't prepared to scare her out of her mind. Taking out a small container from his pouch, the warrior poured the blue liquid over the bodies, dissolving them into the sand.

Not waiting to see the bodies melt to nothingness, the hunter turned and walked over to the small female who was crouching on the sandy ground, staring at the forms that were rapidly dissolving. Slowly moving closer, he could smell her fear rolling off of her in waves. Making a quick scan for other injuries she might have sustained, he sighed in relief that besides her raised temperature all else came back negative.

Seeing Cora jerk away as he knelt on one knee beside her, Sorus uncloaked and put a clawed hand on her shoulder. Noting her confusion as she shook her head and struggled frantically to move away, he moved forward and pulled her over to lean against him. Gently squeezing her shoulder, in the hope of reassuring her, he rattled softly, "Cora, you are safe now."

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She had been attacked by two man after exiting the building and they had dragged her a short distance into the side alley after she tackled the man with the cloth and struggled free. Cora had clawed wildly at the other man when he attempted to grab her from the front and badly twisted the wrist of the man who tried, again, to smother her with the drugged cloth. What came later was a bit of a blur.

She was certain that there was no one else present at the quiet end of the building, yet in the next seconds her two attackers lay dead on the ground. What ultimately struck fear into her heart was seeing their bodies melt away. The only thing that came to mind was that the xenomorphs were running loose on the planet; there were no other creatures in the world that could dissolve a body so quickly.

The next moments, however, came as a surprise and the young woman was certain that she was having visual hallucinations; for before her was a hunter. Confused and unable to process her frozen thoughts, she desperately clawed and struggled to get away from the iron grip, of what she was certain was the xeno killer. Preparing to rip her sore vocal cords with a cry of help, she suddenly noticed the feel of a clawed hand on her shoulder and a familiar voice. As fear gave way to feelings of comfort and security, she let herself fall limply into the embrace of her yautja companion.

Not having the energy to lift her head, Cora pressed the side of her face against the unarmored part of his chest. Breathing in his musky scent, dizziness clouded her mind as she unknowingly whispered her thoughts outloud, "Sorus...you're here." With the chill of the dark rapidly settling in over the desert world, the warmth from the massive being before her seemed to coax her to move closer.

Feeling her snuggle up against him, Sorus used a forearm to hold her against him as he proceeded to remove the backpack from her. Quickly attaching it to his back, as he would a trophy, he shifted Cora slightly and lift her up in his arms before cloaking again. It was dark now so he could easily make it back to the ship using the shortest route without being spotted.

Soon after he headed off back to the ship, he could tell that the young healer in his arms was desperately trying to stay awake despite her drowsiness from both the drugged cloth as well as her high temperature. Feeling a small icy hand touch his chest he briefly glanced down at her as he continued on.

With her head swimming in dizziness, Cora vocalized the few key words of concern. "Sorus,...two men...the xenos." Feeling the chill, she refocused her thoughts and tried again, "Wh...Where are we?"

The warrior growled inwardly and swiftly moved on. It was obvious that in her current delirium the female was hardly thinking straight, resulting in the lack of focus in her thought processes. Wanting to calm her restlessness for the remaining part of the journey, he pressed her closer, "Rest Cora we are heading back to my ship."

Since he had picked her up, Sorus noted that her core temperature was much higher than before. And now being exposed to the environmental elements, it was causing her to freeze on the outside while she burned on the inside. Recalling the advise of the male ooman healer, he shifted her cold frail body slightly while raising the heat of his mesh suit. When they got back to his vessel he would need find a way to warm her up.

On reaching the ship, he dashed inside. Putting the now unconscious female down on the bed, Sorus dropped the backpack and removed most of his weapons in record time before heading to the bathroom to fill the huge tub with warm water. Leaving the tub to fill up, he swiftly moved back to the room.

Laying a dry cloth on the unoccupied part of the bed, he then quickly moved back to kneel beside the unconscious figure and proceeded to removed her socks and shoes. Deciding the fastest way to be rid of the rest of her ooman coverings, he pulled out a short blade to knife through Cora's clothes. Despite knowing much about her species, he had not studied how they don or doff their clothes and he was not going to start learning now just to save her clothing.

He was thankful that he had much experience in this task through his hunts. Cutting through the thin fabric, he growled at the fact that oomans needed to put on so many layers. Making a quick scan while removing all her coverings, he found that her temperature was soaring but her skin remained icy cold. Disposing the blade and tattered clothes on the ground, he quickly carried her to the bathroom.

Stepping down into the half filled tub Sorus carefully repositioned her in his arms before moving down into the deeper end of the relaxing pool. The female was cradled like a child in his arms, with her head resting at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Moving to a kneeling position, he gently lowered Cora till her whole body was submersed in the warm water. With parts of his armour still on, the warrior handled her with care to avoid any of the sharp edges from cutting into her soft flesh.

After a long while, his anxiety grew when Cora remained unresponsive. The only fact that kept him calm was that her skin was no longer cold. Glancing down at her small delicate form he sighed. In spite of her reassurance throughout their journey, that this condition was just a mild ooman sickness, it did not seem to be the case. Noting that her high internal temperature had dropped a little, Sorus stood up and carried her back to the bed.

Laying her down on the large drying cloth, he quickly dried her off then moved her with great gentleness to the empty side of the bed before removing the damp cloth. Putting the dry cloth away, he noticed Cora curling into a tight ball and shiver slightly at the cool temperature. Grabbing two fur blankets at the end of the bed, he pulled it over her before kneeling down to scan her vitals again.

Relief flooded him when the young woman stirred slightly and opened her tired eyes to look up at him. Hearing her whisper for water, he immediately stood up and rushed to the small cooking area. She was still lying in the same position, breathing shallowly, when he returned. Brushing damp hair from her face, he supported her to a sitting position when she opened her eyes again. Bringing the cup up to her lips, he gazed at her in concern as she wrapped her icy hands around his and drank slowly.

Putting the cup away after she finished a third of the contents, Sorus gingerly laid her back down and watched as she closed her eyes and fall into a deep sleep. Resting his gentle gaze on her, he knew that delirium must still be in her system as the shy female had not even registered that she was lying completely bare on the bed. Carefully running his talons through her hair, he recounted what the medical ooman said that led to Cora being attacked. He frowned at the thought of sick oomans being taken from the medical centre which, he surmised, were most likely used for experimentation for the hard meat.

The soft meat, though with intelligence, were without shame to use their own kind for such cruel acts. And over the years many hunters had noticed that oomans in general seemed to grow steely at heart. The soft meat had become a race focused on worldly possessions. However, a few stories from long ago indicated that there once were honored ooman warriors who protected their loved ones at the cost of their lives and usually had a sole mate whom they were loyal to.

If such stories were true then it seemed that soon after oomans had taken to space, their entire race seemed to have gradually become lukewarm at heart. Observations from the older warriors told of the new soft meat generation who had several mates but rarely cared for the well-being of their females and offspring. Resting a clawed hand on Cora's warm forehead, he sighed. Though most yautja had several mates, they cared for their young and closely guided them in the ways of honor to become great hunters and carry on the bloodline.

Removing his mask, Sorus looked down at the female lying before him. It was beyond him how someone like her had survived the growing egocentricity of her race. This gentle ooman's spirit seemed to be a light in the growing darkness of her species and this was perhaps what had unknowingly drawn him to her in the first place. More than once she had shown her selflessness and had focused on the well-being of others before herself.

Though he did not like it, it was no surprise that the experienced hunters on the main training ship had gradually begun to notice and become attracted to the qualities she exhibited. He agreed with K'rve that this female had a spirit of a fighter despite her status as a pure healer. And though intelligent, she remained simple minded with her dealings in intimate relationships and this was perhaps what gave her the ability to appreciate the finer things in life. With the pureness of her heart it would be difficult, especially for those who were arrogant and overly confident in their skills, to noticed her strengths.

Leaning closer, the warrior pressed his brow lightly against hers and lightly brushed a lower mandible over her cheek. Suddenly aware that Cora, in her deep sleep, was still trembling from the cold he pulled back. Stripping off the rest of his armor, he quickly dried down before returning to the bed. Leaving only his mesh suit on and putting a dry loincloth on, Sorus slipped under the large pelt. Wrapping the shivering female in his arms, he pressed her back against his chest to share the warmth from the mesh suit and his body.

Despite being keen on getting more information on the missing hard meat and needing to confirm if missing oomans were related to the _kainde amedha, _he could not leave the young healer in her weakened state. Her health would be his first priority, everything else could be put aside for the moment. Closing his eyes, Sorus tried to shake off the nagging thought of her condition deteriorating further as he listened to her slow and shallow breathing. The attack on Cora and her worsening condition was an unexpected turn in the trip, and this was not something either of them needed.

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Standing in the massive control centre and looking at the dark frozen planet from the safety of his ship, Darren curled his lips upward in a cold smile. He had initially planned to keep Ethan's project as a backup if his own project failed but had soon changed his mind after the huge success in obtaining the xeno eggs. Passing the ice planet that Audrey and her small team were now on, he pondered briefly if he should spare their lives when he ended the project.

It was true that Audrey was talented and was made to direct his brother's research, however, to him the female scientist was a disappointment. Tracing the outline of the white planet on the glass panel, he narrowed his eyes as he considered the next move. He could not afford to grow a conscience now and risk all by setting the people free. Seeing that he had even bothered to concern himself with such, the calculative man snorted to himself; the lives of these people meant little to him.

Rubbing his chin with one hand, he considered another alternative. Perhaps he could use the remaining sickly but 'potential hosts' as well as dispense of Ethan's staff in his own project. They could be used as hosts for the eggs and develop xeno prey to bait the murderous yautja. With the universe being so vast and with humans on many planets, surly no one would miss a few human beings.

However, after thinking back to the information he gathered about the predators, Darren decided against this move. After all, it was a concern to him that the yautja, being skilled hunters, might not choose to hunt sickly xenomorphs as it might be seen as a lesser challenge. Slowly turning his back to the viewing window, he casually made his way back to the main controls to send a message of withdrawal to the armed personnel on the icy world.

Workers with military experience was something he would not mind salvaging as they would still be useful to him. However, the scientists and sickly people below no longer held any value to him; and he was not one to waste time or resources. Sending the encrypted message, Darren smirked at being able to finally rid himself of Audrey's project. Besides his armed personnel, no one else would be leaving the planet; this would eliminate the possibility of information leaking out as well as any future complications.

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**Special thanks to the following people:**

**Darkness Maiden of Avalon: **_Thank you for reviewing. I hope you enjoyed this chapter too. :)_

**Zarsthor: **_Thank you for your review. I found it rather entertaining when I read your review about Sorus' reaction. I guess everyone likes a fairy tale ending but sadly that doesn't often happen in real life. Oh, and about Andree, she will be coming back in the next chapter._

**infernothechinchilla: **_Thank you for the review. Yes, I guess Cora is rather slow in the area of developing such relationships - but things will soon get interesting..._

**Kallisto: **_It is great to know that you like this story :) I enjoy writing about romance and will gradually put more in the coming chapters. Thank you for the wonderful review. _

**Ginstar3:**_ Have to thank you twice for the reviews ;) When I read how many times you wrote about loving the story, I was smiling for so long I got cramps!! _


	39. Restlessness

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predators.**

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**Chapter 39**

Restlessness

It had been several days since the incident with the bad blood and even with the healing drug, the broken ribs caused by Yedin had not fully mended yet. And being confined to Kal'fa's large room made her restless but there was little Andree could do to resist. However, she couldn't really complain. She relished the time the elder spent hovering over her when not training the young bloods, to ensured she healed properly. Apparently the break was bad but thankfully the bones were not displaced. It had pained her to move and the elder had only allowed her out when he was with her.

Since coming to the elder's room, however, she noticed that Kal'fa was very careful whenever he touched or came close to her. He had explained the result of the drug she was injected with and her likely reaction to other yautja coming in contact with her. Andree had eventually come to accept that in the time that it would take for the trauma of the incident to ease from her system, Kal'fa would minimize her contact with the other blooded.

Despite enjoying his protectiveness and feeling secure and comforted in his arms at night, it still annoyed her to be restricted to one room. Lost in her thoughts, Andree turned sharply when the door to the room opened.

Seeing the huntress turn to look at him, Kal'fa knew that the female was still frustrated at not being allowed out without him. It was true that she had recovered much from the trauma and much sooner than expected. Still, he would not risk her responding badly to the other hunters before her complete recovery. Given a choice, he would rather have her anger over having her depart from unpleasant encounters with other males. Particularly with mating season so close.

When they had slept together for the past few nights, Andree had shown that physical touch was no longer a worry as she had cuddled close. Though he continued with caution whenever he came into contact with her, he was relieved that physical closeness was no longer a barrier. And he had the young ooman healer to thank for that.

Resting his heated gaze on Andree as he walked into the room, Kal'fa decided not to confine her longer than necessary. After all, being a skilled and capable fighter, she would be able to fight off any young blood if their presence disturbed her. "As your injuries are healing well I believe you are well enough to leave my room as you wish." Spreading his mandibles in a slight smile when the huntress walked over and put her arms around his waist in thanks, he raised his clawed hand up and rested it on her shoulder.

With Andree's recovery, the issue of her reacting badly to other yautja had now become secondary. The primary concern being Cora's announcement of having found a clue to the missing _kainde amedha_. It would not be long before the young healer recovered from her sickness and gathered more clues on discovering the missing hard meat. When all the hard meat were eventually found and hunted down, he did not know if the huntress would leave.

It was true that he and the huntress were now close, and though it was highly unlikely, Andree was not yet his mate and there was still the risk of her departure. Looking down at the young ooman he sighed. This was very reason both he and Sorus wanted to court and claim the females as mates before the hard meat was found.

When the honored warrior had attempted to explain the emptiness in his heart, when he'd first arrived, it was an emotion none onboard could relate to. But now he understood. His search was not nearly as long as Sorus' yet the outcome was the same. With all that had occurred in the past months and the development of feelings for Andree, he distinctly knew it was different from all previous experiences he had with other females.

Despite having shown Andree much affection since she had come under his care, Kal'fa desired to express much more after she was completely healed of her physical wounds. Running gentle talons through her soft hair, the elder walked beside her as they headed to the dining area. Before Sorus and Cora returned, he would have to approach Andree and reveal how he felt, and if she permitted he would claim her as his lifemate.

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It had been over a day since they came back onboard the ship and Cora had not woken once. Throughout that time, Sorus stayed by her side and had neither eaten nor slept. With the young healer in her weakened state, he simply could not rest while she suffered at his side. He had hoped that she would wake in the occasional tossing and turning but not once did she open her eyes.

In an attempt to bring down her boiling temperature, he had wiped her body down a few times using a cool damp cloth. Though it helped a little, this method proved to be futile in the long run. In the end, her temperature still rose once again to dangerous levels and even with the thick furs, her hands and feet seem to constantly be cold. It had been a long time since Cora had last eaten and the continued decline showed no signs of slowing.

Recalling the advice the ooman in the medical centre had given before Cora left the room, Sorus filled the tub up once more. Even though the male ooman healer had arranged for her capture, it did not mean that the advice he gave had bad intentions. Besides, lowering her temperature in the relaxing pool had worked once and there was no harm in attempting the same method again. He gathered that her temperature had probably risen as she had drunk nothing and did not take the medication before falling into this deep sleep.

Placing a drying cloth at the entrance of the bathroom the hunter walked back to the unconscious form lying on his bed. Resting her upper body on one forearm Sorus carefully positioned her head at the juncture of his neck and shoulder. Removing the blanket using his free hand, he crossed her arms over her chest before putting his hand under her knees to carry her to the bathroom.

Entering on the shallow end, Sorus slowly made his way to the deep end with Cora snugged close to him. Though having previously skinned both male and female ooman warriors, he felt different when touching the female lying in his arms. Even during the times when he wiped her down to keep her body cool, despite keeping his mind focused on the task, he had felt his loins stir at handling her in such an intimate manner.

Looking down at her naked form he could not deny that he felt the urge to make her his. And knowing that she was still untouched by any male only made the desire much stronger. Despite this, physical desire was not what he seeked in her. To gain a heart such as hers meant much more to him than fulfilling his lustful wants.

Tilting his head down to her peaceful face, the warrior sighed. Though keen on mating her, he was conscious of the trauma she suffered from the physical attack on her years ago. That wound was deep and not completely healed yet. And he was certain that the act of mating would no doubt be near impossible if mere physical touch was uncomfortable. Still, if she decided to be his mate, he would curb his desire for her until she was truly ready.

Gently pressing the female against his chest, the hunter rested his heated amber gaze on her and lightly tapped his right upper mandible in thought. Though not tone in muscle like most yautja females, this young healer was attractive in her own way. Lying in his arms, angelic and magnificent in all her glory, Sorus took in the sight of her beauty, silently admiring the soft contours of her slight form and her long slender legs. She was truly beautiful both inside and out. And he was certain that if Cora had worn yautja clothing instead of 'hiding' herself under layers of ooman cloths, while on the training ship, he would have had more competition to deal with.

Moving to sit on the bench in the relaxing pool and placing her on his lap, the hunter closed his eyes. For now, all he wished for was for the young healer to wake from her slumber. Nothing would hold any meaning if she continued to remain in her unconscious state. Nudging her gently with lower mandibles, he decided; they would stay in the tub till her temperature had declined to a level he deemed safe or if she woke. Breathing in deeply, he silently hoped it would be the latter.

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Having lost all contact with Darren in the past twenty four hours, Audrey began pacing the small observation room in the lab area. However, her growing anxiety was not solely due to her employer. The behavior of the guards had somewhat changed and this had deeply bothered not only her but her fellow colleagues as well.

There was no word of any changes to the project, yet the armed personnel were busy moving things out of the site. Their actions led her to believe that Darren was perhaps moving things into the next phase of the project, and if that was the case then she would soon be released from this ice prison. Nonetheless, silent alarm bells were ringing, especially when the guards refused to tell her anything except that all would be over shortly.

Looking into the cells that housed the sickly xenomorphs, she sighed. Though the guard's words did not grant her complete comfort, she looked forward to getting out of this horrible situation. Long ago she had been enthusiastic and eager in assisting Ethan in ridding the world of the species known as the yautja, however, her passion in the project had waned and gradually died away when Darren took over.

Working for Darren had drained her so completely that she no longer cared about how he and the predator race were going to face off. As far as she was concerned, both her employer and this killer race were evil and neither deserved to live. It didn't matter which one would die in the upcoming battle. To her, the death of either one only meant that the world would be free of one more evil.

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Almost after a half hour, his heart leapt when he felt the young ooman finally begin to rouse from her deep sleep. Hearing her groan softly, Sorus moved to stand and tightened his grip every so slightly when Cora started to stir in his arms. Feeling her struggles increase from being alert to the fact that she was unclothed, he released his hold from under her knees. Letting her stand in the pool, Sorus left his forearm supporting her back and kept a firm hold on her shoulder to prevent her from going under if she failed to support her own weight.

With her standing at the deep end of the relaxing pool, the water already reached her neck. Spreading his mandibles and taking in her scent, the warrior found it to be heavily laced with tiredness, which was intertwined with increasing embarrassment. Pulling her closer to him, he purred softly to calm her down. Using his free hand, Sorus gently ran the soft pads of his palm and fingers over the smooth back of the young female and smiled lightly when he felt her shudder under his touch.

Waking to a state of undress and lying in the arms of her yautja friend, Cora, despite still feeling horribly giddy, immediately struggled to free herself from the embarrassing situation. Planting her feet on the ground, she placed one forearm over her breasts to hide her nakedness while putting her free hand, palm down, on the broad chest before her in an attempt to push away. Feeling awfully weak, and with drowsiness still swimming in her head, she found herself too tired to fight him. As the clawed hand on her shoulder further tighten its grasp to keep her in position, she relented and leaned forward to rest the side of her face against the muscled chest. Already, she was short of breath and breathing heavily as a result of the small struggle.

With the soft soothing sound emitting from the hunter slowly relaxing her, Cora gradually became more aware of her surroundings. Closing her eyes, she felt Sorus' forearm across her back with his hand grasping firmly to her shoulder to support her to stand on unsteady feet. Feeling his other hand rubbing her bare back in gentle strokes and causing a shiver despite the sea of warmth, she eased her hand from his chest to the muscled arm. This effectively ceased the movement as well as calmed her racing heart.

Feeling her shift yet again, the warrior moved his clawed hand from her shoulder to the base of her neck, lightly pressing her head against his chest. Resting his free hand on her hip, to still her shuffling, he rattled softly, "Be still, you are not ready to move yet." From what he had observed, her actions were extremely sluggish. And the only times he had witnessed such slow movements was when a being had either loss too much blood or drunk too much _c'ntlip_, a strong alcohol drink. With her body still obviously exhausted, it was not wise to move around so soon. She had been lying down for a long time and her heart needed time to adjust and get use to pumping blood around her body in an upright position.

Standing in silence, Cora waited for the dizziness to somewhat subside before lifting her head from his chest to glance around the bathroom. "Sorus...where are my clothes?"

Hearing her soft hoarse voice, Sorus carefully turned her around to face the entrance. "Your belongings are in the storage wall." With her back against him, he kept a clawed hand gently wrapped around the back of her slender neck to keep her steady when she slowly walked to the shallow end. Dropping his hand after they both stepped out of the tub, he kept close when she walked over to the entrance to grab the drying cloth.

Seeing the young female turn her head to glance uneasily at him sideways, the hunter softly chittered at her as if amused by her actions and turned his head away while letting her dry herself down. Though he had seen and even handled her unclothe she was still nervous about her nudity. With his head turned away from her, Cora looked him over as she attempted to dry herself as quickly as she could. Despite knowing that he had hunted her kind and had probably seen both genders bare, she was still discomforted by the fact that Sorus had seen her body.

After all, even though he was a hunter, Sorus was her friend which made it all the more embarrassing. Wrapping the large towel around her torso, the sound of dripping caught her attention. Glancing to the side briefly, to locate the origin of the sound, Cora averted her eyes when she found the source coming from the loincloth on the being standing near her.

Shortly after she started to move, Cora found her yautja companion swiftly moving to walk at her side. Not sure which storage wall her belongings were kept in, she turned to him. Raising her gaze to meet his, she mustered a small smile and tried to hide the pain in her throat as she spoke. "I think you're going to have to show me where my clothes are," then eyeing the wet loincloth, she blushed and turned to face the wall again, adding softly, "and I think you will need to change too."

Observing her reaction, Sorus chuckled inwardly. Then opening the storage area in front of her, he turned to her. Seeing Cora raise a hand to her head, as she grew heavy with dizziness again, he quickly moved behind her and wrapped an arm around her mid section. Carefully pulling her back so she could lean against him, he look down to see her eyes close briefly. Feeling her cold hands pushing down on his forearm, trying to make him let go, he thrilled at her. He was not going to let her stand on unsteady feet just because she was shy of such physical contact.

Hearing her shallow breathing quicken as he tighten his grip slightly, Sorus leaned down to her ear. "Have you decided what you want to wear yet?" Waiting for her to steady herself, he watched as Cora reached forward to grab one of the clothing from her bag and helped her to shake it open from its folded form. Seeing the shape of it unfold into the long shirt he had seen her wear to sleep, he let her go and stepped back a little to give her room to dress. The hunter watched in fascination as Cora, still holding the dry cloth in one hand, pulled the shirt over her head and body before dropping the drying cloth to put her arms out of the side holes of her ooman covering.

After dressing in the long sleep shirt, Cora quickly put on a pair of panties and stepped aside to let her friend change. Leaning her back against the next storage wall, she couldn't believe Sorus was undressing and drying himself in front of her so casually. Despite her body still feeling awfully tired, when her eyes fell on him, she could not help but stare. In spite of their physical differences, she could not help but feel somewhat attracted to his strong build.

She had never taken time to truly _study _his features as she did now. The muscular form before her had scars littered over torso and limb, a testament of his strength and vast experience in hunts. As an elite, Sorus was no doubt a strong hunter and could be violent either when fighting other hunters or prey. But despite all the violence, he had shown that he could be so gentle as well. Lost in her musing, Cora continued her observations. When her gaze fell on his manhood she suddenly became aware of her behavior and quickly turned away, feeling her face grow hot.

Noticing her modesty as he put on a fresh loincloth, Sorus chuckled softly at her innocence. His race, being hunters, were open to the studying of bodies and were not easily embarrassed by such, but it was obviously different for oomans. Closing the storage wall and putting away the damp drying cloths, he turned to face the young woman. Tilting his head, he enquired, "Are all oomans this shy when they are without their coverings?"

Casting her eyes to the ground, Cora could not believe they were going to have this conversation. Thinking of a short but simple answer, she nervously explained, "People usually only expose themselves to their spouse."

Not familiar with the term, Sorus stepped closer, "Spouse...is like mate?" Seeing her nod, he rested his clawed hand on her shoulder. Though tempted to reassure and tell her that she need not be embarrassed when with him, and the implications of what he meant, the warrior instead gave a nod of acknowledgement. He would respect the beliefs and values that were important to her.

Feeling Sorus grasp her shoulder and direct her back to the bed, Cora shook her head. "I want to sit in the cooking area for a while. I don't know how long I was out but I feel sore from lying down."

Still resting his clawed hand on her shoulder, he rattled softly, "You will also need to take the medicine you brought back." After she had retrieved the ooman medication from her bag, he led her to the eating area. Setting the food down on the table, they both ate in relative silence. As his mandibles torn into the meat, he glanced over to see Cora nibbling on small bits of food.

With little appetite and her throat parched, Cora ate only a little and drank lots of water with the medication. Barely aware of the concerned amber gaze watching her, she gulped the liquid beverage greedily, rehydrating and giving her body nourishment to aid the healing process.

Much of the dizziness had gradually ebbed away but aching in the joints and fatigue were still present. Even with Sorus eating much more than her, she noticed that he had already finished and was waiting for her to finish up and return to the room to rest. Pushing the food and drink away, Cora stretched and rest her head on outstretched arms, on the table. Then turning her head slightly to glanced over at the yautja sitting beside her, she smiled, enjoying the comfortable company.

Curious as to why the tired female had not yet made a move to return to bed and rest, Sorus leaned down low to the table to meet her gentle gaze while running a clawed hand through her soft hair. Taking in her soft scent, the hunter spoke his mind, concern laced in his voice, "Cora, you are still very tired, perhaps you should lie down and rest."

Closing her eyes briefly, Cora slowly raised her head from the table. Moving to sit up, she intentionally avoided his gaze as she gave an unfavorable reply, "Since I'm up I want to see if we can start the search for more information on the xenos."

Tapping upper mandibles in annoyance, Sorus sat up and shifted closer to her. In her weakened state, it was utterly frustrating to see the young healer once again focused on something other than herself. Staring hard at her, he spoke a little more firmly, "You need to let your body rest."

Standing slowly from the table, Cora steadied herself and shook her head in defiance. She could see his anger starting to flare up from the look Sorus gave her but she was not prepared to back down. Returning his hard gaze with her own, she tried to reason with him, "I feel sore from lying down and I don't want to just rest all the time. Even if I do not search for more information I want to do something else before resting."

With her words fueling his anger, Sorus tried to get his point across as he grasped her shoulder when she started to sway slightly while standing. She was not even strong enough to stand for a short period of time and, still, she wanted to do something else other then rest. Tightening his grasp on her shoulder, he kept his voice down but growled with firm authority, "I am your elder. You will listen to me and rest now."

Crossing her arms over her chest in a show of stubbornness, Cora stepped a little closer to the hunter. She couldn't understand why he was so keen to get her resting so soon. Despite being sick, she understood her body's condition better than him. Moreover, resting was not one of the things that topped her list at present. Clearing her throat, she spoke just as firmly, "If you can defeat me in a friendly challenge I will listen to you and rest."

Tilting his head slightly as if considering this challenge, Sorus narrowed his gaze as he looked at her and growled. "I will accept no challenge. I do not doubt your ability to win and this challenge might make you more tired."

Looking down at the ground, Cora closed her eyes and sighed. She did not want to argue with him, and all this talking was beginning to make her throat extremely sore. Raising her head up slightly, she swallowed once to ease the pain and spoke in a softer tone, "Please Sorus, I just want to do something other than rest for the moment. If you do not want me to search for more information then accept this challenge. I promise that the challenge will be easy and I will rest when it is over."

Hearing her pleads made his heart clench in slight pain. He desperately wanted her to get well but did not want her to be unhappy. Considering his options, he knew Cora had unknowingly cornered him. He did not have the heart to force her into anything, and if the only way for her to rest was through this challenge then he would have to accept it. Inwardly shaking his head in disapproval he looked at her and sighed deeply. "Tell me what type of challenge you propose."

Raising her gaze to met his amber ones, Cora smiled widely. After careful consideration on the type of challenge, she started slowly, "As I can only move slowly, we will limit the challenge to the training area. You have three minutes to find and capture me....but you will have to be blindfolded."

Hearing Sorus clicking his mandibles in an annoyed manner and making an odd growling sound like he was grumbling, Cora managed a soft chuckle. "I'm going to have to change and wear something that will allow a little more movement for this challenge."

Standing up and guiding her back to the bedroom, Sorus reproached himself for making such a decision. Though she knew how to make challenges unexpectedly interesting, this was hardly the time to indulge in something that required physical movement for her. Nonetheless, she would have little cause to exert much energy if he was blindfolded. Even in her sickness, the female had made the challenge suitable for them both. In her condition she could move slowly but silently to avoid being detected while he was forced to move equally slow with the loss of sight.

When the young healer was well again he would enjoy various types of challenges with her. It would be a new experience and she knew how to gauge one's ability to adjust the level of difficulty accordingly. Regardless of whether she was a warrior or not, her unique way of thinking would have made her an excellent trainer for any hunter. Though she would be unable to train others physically, her intelligence would easily hone the skills of those who were willing to listen to her advise.

On reaching the bedroom, he briefly explained the loss of her set of ooman coverings and handed Cora clothes he made when she was unconscious. Using the same sort of material his loincloth was made from, he had made a miniskirt as well as a sleeveless top. The yautja clothes had a similar design to her ooman undergarments and would conform to her body to allow the ease of movement. Grabbing a long strip of cloth to be used as the blindfold, he waited patiently while she relieved herself and changed in the bathroom.

Perhaps the young healer was right, a good challenge was just what they both needed at the moment. Though for a different reason, he was just as restless as Cora and it would be good if this match helped to settle them both. Hearing the door open, Sorus looked up. The yautja clothing she wore was perfect. The two piece outfit was very fitting, allowing her movements to be unhindered. As she moved closer, he could not help but admire her feminine form. The clothing had accentuated her natural curves, making Cora look absolutely exquisite.

Aware that Sorus had been staring eversince she walked back into the bedroom, Cora looked down at the clothing as she moved up to him. "Do I look funny?"

Coming out of his haze, the hunter tapped his upper mandibles. 'Funny?' Looking her up and down, he found nothing humorous. Tilting his head he clicked lightly. "What is funny? I am not laughing."

Realizing that Sorus had completely mistook her meaning, Cora clenched her sore throat as she burst out laughing. Seeing her rock with laughter, the warrior grunted. "What is funny?"

Calming down after a while, Cora grasp onto the annoyed hunter's forearm. Giving him an apologetic look, she smiled, "By funny I meant if I looked strange in this outfit."

Letting his frustration go as he breathed out, Sorus shook his head. "No." Then guiding her out the room to the _kehrite_, he added quietly, "yautja clothing looks better on you than ooman clothing."

Hearing the compliment, Cora smiled. Then glancing up at the warrior she joked lightly, "Maybe that is why all the yautja on the training ship look so good." With Sorus snorting at that comment and tapping his upper left mandible in a show of annoyance, she chuckled then patted him on the arm. "I think you look good in what you wear too." This had at least earned her a nod of the head in a show of appreciation, making her smile widely.

On entering the training room Sorus gave Cora the strip of cloth and knelt down on one knee to let her blindfold him. Hearing her giggle softly, he tapped his mandibles lightly and brought his clawed hands up to rest it lightly on either side of her waist while she tied the cloth behind his head. As soon as the blindfold was secured, he stood up and closed a clawed hand over her small wrist, gently tugging her to him before she could move off.

Leaning down, Sorus rattled softly. "Move slowly, you are still weak." Feeling her pat his hand in acknowledgement instead of using her sore vocal cords to reply, he released her and stood up. Using stereognosis to enter in and commence the count down on the device on his wrist, he started the 'hunt'. The wrist computer would let him know when time was up.

Soon after Sorus started moving, Cora noticed that the hunter seemed to either be lacking in concentration when tracking her or was intentionally moving slower to allow her to get away. From her observations so far, her guess was the latter. Being as careful as she was, Cora knew she had accidentally made some scrapping sounds especially when getting on and off the slightly raised platform. And though the blinded hunter had turned sharply at the sound, he did not immediately move toward her.

All in all, despite his obvious reluctance to participate in this challenge, she was impressed with his performance. Even with the loss of sight, his motions remained graceful. Not once did the warrior stumble. His deliberate slow movements had also given her time to study the flexing of muscles under his taut skin. And this was something that was becoming a little too distracting while in the middle of a match.

It was only in the last half minute that she realized her mistake. It was never the hunter's intention to let her get away so easily. Sorus had merely taken the time to learn and adapt to his loss of sight before he truly started his hunt for her. Though still moving relatively slow, his movements had gradually increased in speed, as he moved closer to her. Trying to shake the dizziness off, Cora quickly moved away before he closed in on her.

The young healer smiled inwardly. She should have known that once a hunter accepted a challenge he would do his best to win. Fighting off the weariness, she was forced to constantly move from her position as she watched Sorus tilt his head to listen and spread his mandibles to track her scent.

Scrambling up the slightly raised platform and making her way to the centre of the stage, Cora noticed the device on his wrist count down to the last seconds as Sorus stood with his side facing her. Before the device sounded off, she crept closer and launched herself off the platform and onto his back. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Cora felt herself slipping off as she tried to hang on tight. Feeling a strong arm encircle her waist, the young healer closed her eyes as she prepared to be thrown off and pinned to the ground.

Feeling Cora slam onto his back, Sorus held still as she wrapped her arms around his neck and tried to steady herself. Instead of tossing her to the ground and pinning her, when he felt her slipping off him, he swung her around to his front. The 'capture' ending with him holding her tightly against his chest. Hearing her breathing heighten from the small stunt she pulled at the last second, he tightened his hold on her, pressing her body against his and cradling her head against his shoulder. As his embrace prevented her from touching the ground, Sorus spread his mandibles in a warm smile when she kept her hold on him to prevent herself from falling if he should let go.

With the sudden movement, the dizziness flooded back in. Glancing up to see the face of the yautja become blurry, Cora tried to slow her breathing before speaking. "S...Sorus, I think I have to...lie down now. The dizziness...is getting to me."

Without a word, he put Cora down and held her against him with one hand while removing the blindfold with the other. Resting his gaze on her for a brief moment, Sorus slowly gathered her up in his arms and walked back to his sleeping chamber. The fatigue was obvious as she slumped into his arms without protest while keeping her eyes closed. After gently laying her down on the bed, he moved to lay beside her and watched as she glanced over at him before closing her eyes to ward off the dizziness. Removing the wrist device, he turned to face her as she curled into a tight ball from the cold brought on by sickness. "Why did you let me win?"

Turning her head, Cora squinted at him through an open eye. Resting her gaze on him for a moment before closing her eyes again, she smiled. "Though you were reluctant, you accepted the challenge...so I thought it was only fair if you'd won."

It was heartwarming to listen to her reasoning. To know that she cared enough to have given him her victory. Reaching down, Sorus covered them both with a fur blanket. As Cora's actions betrayed the coldness she still felt, he slipped an arm around her and pulled her closer to him. Despite the young female tensing slightly from the close proximity and physical contact, he moved the small form till her back was resting lightly against his chest. Purring softly, he clicked in contentment as she slowly relaxed.

Grateful for all that her yautja companion had done for her in her poor health, Cora eased up the clawed hand that was wrapped around her and kissed the back of Sorus' hand ever so gently, "Thank you for looking after me and...thank you for the clothes." With a soft clicking sound of acknowledgement, she let his hand go. Pushing her fears of physical contact aside, the young healer smiled inwardly as she imagined Sorus using her as a pillow when he gently wrapped his arm around her waist again.

Remembering the attack before Sorus came to her aid, Cora tried to clear her head of sleep. As the giddiness did not seem to be going away, she leaned back to rest against his chest and spoke softly, "Sorus, there were two men that attacked me in the city and I think they were killed by a xeno before you came t..."

Holding onto her a little tighter, Sorus cut in. "No hard meat were present. I killed the two oomans," then clicking softly, he added, "to protect you." He could not scent her fear, for which he was grateful, but he could sense that knowledge of killing her kind had upset her deeply.

Feeling Cora shift a little so she could tilt her face up to meet his gaze, Sorus looked down at her, hoping she would not view his actions in a negative light. Before she could speak, he breathed in deeply and spoke first. "If it displeases you, I will cease hunting oomans." Cora was not a huntress and would probably not comprehend the sacrifice he was making. Still, he silently hoped the young female would somehow understand the meaning behind these words. No hunter would ever give up hunting any type of prey, especially the soft meats whose skulls were so highly prized.

Puzzled by this declaration, Cora tiredly looked back at the warrior. "You'll stop hunting humans because it upsets me?" Too dizzy to think clearly, she could not understand why Sorus would do something like that. Unable to keep her eyes open any longer she shut them. With sleep rapidly closing in she struggled to stay awake a little while longer. Though not able to think clearly, she was curious and wanted to understand his actions. "Why?"

Opening his mandibles in exasperation, the hunter stroked the exposed area of her abdomen with a clawed thumb as he fought to avoid an untimely revealation. "Because you are my...close friend," he replied reluctantly. No matter how much he wanted to say the word mate, he could not.

All females were highly respected. They cared for and raised the sucklings and therefore held the power to choose who would be their mate and father their offspring. Letting out a silent sigh, Sorus knew he could not ask the healer to be his mate yet. Cora, with her dizziness, would not be able to think clearly to consider his proposal at this time. Moreover, no matter how good his intentions were, he had offended the female he was courting in hunting something that displeased her.

Hearing his response, Cora smiled lightly. Placing a hand down to rest on his forearm, she whispered sleepily, "Hmm...it is still strange to give this up just because I am a close friend."

With her small form pressed against him, Sorus breathed in deeply, her closeness and soothing scent calming him. Sensing that she had fallen asleep after a short while, he rattled softly, "No hunt is worth breaking the bond we share." It might have been his imagination but he was sure he felt her soft hand tighten on his forearm for a fraction of a second.

Feeling Cora's breathing slow as she finally fell asleep once again, Sorus hugged her tightly against his chest. He had been gauging her response to his actions and had not expected the young female to allow him to attach himself to her so snugly. It had been an unexpected reaction on her part but it was a change that he welcomed.

In their conversation on the way here, it pained him to know that Cora did not consider him to be her mate and wanted to return to her own kind. And despite wanting to respect her decision and let her fulfil her dreams, he found that he simply could not let her go. Even now, he desired to be mated to her. Shifting the forearm that was wrapped around her very slowly so as not to wake her, Sorus brought his clawed hand down to rest on her lower abdomen, lightly pressing his palm over the area where her womb was. He wanted to be the father of her offspring.

Feeling Cora shift in her sleep to cuddle closer, he allowed a rich and deep purr to emanate, something that was only reserved for a mate. Closing his eyes, he reveled in her closeness and took in her alluring scent, letting it lure him into deep dreams.

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**~.~.~ Wishing all my dear readers a very blessed Christmas and a great start to the new year! ~.~.~**

**Author's notes: **Part Two of this story only has three more chapters to go...and have I mentioned how much I love reviews and how it inspires me to write faster?

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**Special thanks to:**

**Zarsthor:**_Thank you for the review. Hmm, yes about Audrey, you'll have to see what fate has in store for her in the next chapter. Yup, and you were right about Cora forgiving Sorus :) _

**infernothechinchilla:**_ (Big smile) Thanks for the review. :P_

**Darkness Maiden of Avalon:**_ Yup, I can understand where you are coming from. I'm pretty much the same as you in the relationship department. Don't like to rush things too much. How did you find this chapter compared to the last? :)_

**Naneo:**_ Thank you for reviewing. _

**darkangelwp05:**_Thank for the review. Hehe...Yes, I absolutely agree. It would be great to be in her shoes wouldn't it?_

**predator808: **_Thanks for reviewing. I know it was a bit of a long wait for this chapter but a lot has been happening and I'm hoping things will soon cool down. _

**Ginstar3: **_Thanks for the wonderful review. Yea, Cora does seem dense doesn't she? She's in love but doesn't know it yet. And as yautja live for so long, that's probably why Sorus is so patient with her. ;)_


	40. Acceptance

**_Disclaimer:_ I do not own aliens or predator** _

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_**Author's note: **I may have pushed the boundaries from T to M in some sections in this chapter but I will keep the rating as T unless someone complains._

_**(Sorry about the late update, I would have posted the chapter earlier but my computer was down)**_

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**Chapter 40 **

Acceptance

With the passing of another week, Cora was still a little tired but had now fully recovered from the fever. There were times that she felt frustrated in being forced to rest but she could not complain. It seemed that Sorus had learnt to keep her calm by accepting all sorts of challenges she proposed and the matches had served to keep them both from boredom. In that time, she had also sat down with Sorus while he sharpened his weapons and taught her the basics about the various devices used in hunting.

Looking at the soft lights of the city, in the darkness of night, Cora waited for the hunter to secure the vessel. Sorus had moved the ship much closer to the city so they would not have far to travel. With the soft hissing click that confirmed the hatch was being secured, the young healer started to move to their destination. She was taken by surprise when the warrior smoothly moved over and picked her up in a flash.

As fear of falling made her latch her arms around his neck in reflex, Cora fought to get down the second Sorus started to move off. Though having been given a cloaking device, she did not have a mask to accompany it. And it was difficult to struggle from his grasp with both herself and Sorus being invisible. Looking up at the outline of the cold hard mask as it tilted down to face her, she could feel his warm gaze through the hard alien metal. "Let me down Sorus. I am fine now."

Still staring down at the female wriggling to get free, the hunter clicked lightly. Time was wasting away if Cora was not going to cooperate with him. With an authoritative tone that hinted not to argue with him, Sorus simply stated, "This night environment is harsh for your kind and I will not risk you getting ill again." Then turning to face the ooman city, he moved swiftly. As they reached the first building, he let her down and smiled inwardly when Cora mumbled about him taking advantage and using her as his portable warm pillow.

Standing at the foot of the first tall building at the edge of the city, the young woman looked down at the modified cloaking device on her wrist. It felt strange to move around when she could not see her limbs. And though not many would spot someone wandering the streets in the dark of night, she wasn't going to forego the cloak and chance being caught again just because she felt uncomfortable. The first building she planned to explore was the medical building. The man who arranged for her capture had contacted the two kidnappers from this building so this was where they would start their search. And if Sorus' intuition, about the sick being sent off to be used for a xeno project, was right then this place probably held the answers they were looking for.

Just as she was about to walk into the city, Cora felt a large warm hand on her shoulder halting her. Turning, she looked to see the hunter on one knee, gesturing for her to latch onto his back like she did during their blindfold match. Shaking her head, Cora whispered softly that she would walk.

Seeing her refusal, Sorus grunted and tugged her back to him as she started to walk off. He would feel more at ease if the healer remained safe on the ship, however, he needed her to access the ooman computers. Leaning down he clicked softly to her, "You will remain close to me." It was obvious that Cora wanted to cover more ground by going separate ways but as she did not know the area this could result in wasting more time. Besides, they could make more progress if he carried her and moved swiftly from the top of one building to the next without being noticed. Also, being with him would also ensure her safety.

As the young healer gave in and complied, Sorus made sure she was latched on securely to him before ascending the building. Feeling her limbs around his neck and waist tighten as he reached the top and prepared to jump to the next building, the hunter paused and tilted his head back. Though Cora kept silent, her fear of heights became apparent when he leapt from one roof top to the next. The scent of her fear was strong, especially when he scaled the taller buildings, and the warrior admired her courage as they pushed forward.

After Sorus had made it to the top of the medical building, Cora was a little surprised when he slowly released her with care and allowed her time to lower one leg at a time and steady herself. It was actually rather touching to know he was taking care that she wouldn't fall since her legs were a little wobbly from being wrapped so tightly around him. Wiggling her legs a little to get the blood circulating again, she smiled when Sorus patiently held onto her waist with a forearm while continuing to scan the surroundings. Patting his clawed hand, she looked up at him. "I think I can manage by myself now."

Hearing the warrior grunt and lightly take her arm to move her close before leading her to the shaft that led into the building, Cora chuckled inwardly at his protectiveness. She was grateful that Sorus, when jumping from one block to the next, had kept the jarring to a minimum. His thoughtful consideration had somewhat taken her focus off the fear of falling. This also allowed her to appreciate first hand of how yautja spied on their prey as well as accessed various restricted areas.

Following the silent hunter into the building, Cora tried to move as stealthily as her companion. Observing from behind, the young woman was secretly impressed with the hunter's sense of direction. Sorus had obviously done this countless times as he moved with ease through the maze of tunnels before coming to an opening. Cora could sense the seriousness the warrior took in this mission, as the moment he helped her to the floor, he was immediately on the move again. She was amazed at how the massive yautja could move like a shadow, silent yet swift, while someone as small as herself had to awkwardly tiptoe around to be quiet.

After searching several rooms, Cora found herself in a familiar room. It was where she had spoken with the medical professional. Getting to the computer, she recalled what Andree had taught her and spent a few minutes hacking into the files. Though she was not as good as Andree in computers, she was surprised at how much information she got. Here were detailed files on the various planets the sick were taken from as well as information on a secondary lab that kept the missing xenomorphs.

She had expected it to be more of a challenge but she wasn't going to question their good fortune in acquiring the information so easily. Looking over her shoulder at the massive being standing alert behind her, Cora kept her voice down as she relayed her findings. With a soft click of acknowledgement from Sorus, she quickly downloaded the files onto the mini computer before stuffing it back into the small pouch at her waist.

Sorus had not approved of her carrying the waist pouch and she initially thought it was because it was a human product that did not match with yautja clothing. But now she knew why. The frequent moving resulted in friction between the belt and her bare waist, making it more than a little uncomfortable. Still, it could not be helped, she needed to bring the device to download the files.

Ignoring the discomfort, Cora carefully followed her hunter companion out the room as he held onto her arm and guided her through the dark and back the way they came. As they made their way to the outskirts of the city, she smiled as Sorus put her down and moved ahead toward the ship. Walking up the ramp, the young healer deactivated the cloak. She was glad that this hunt was now finally coming to an end.

Once back on the ship, Sorus immediately prepared to update the elders on their findings. With Cora standing beside him, still going through the files and getting the coordinates of the hard meat location, he studied her using the ooman sight. She seemed so focused and serious but her hazel eyes shone with excitement as she scrolled through the details. The elation the female had shown when she got the information was now a bittersweet memory.

He was of course happy to have finally retrieved the information but it was still very unsettling when the search had now ended and he had not successfully won her over yet. Recalling how the healer was smiling widely when she was downloading the information, he tapped his mandibles lightly and wondered if Cora had given any thought to staying with the clan after this hunt was over. 'Had she maintained the decision to leave and return home? Did he still have a chance to convince her to stay if she wanted to go?' Removing his mask, Sorus sat down on the sole chair in the control room and looked down at the fog covering the ground. Blinking slowly, his thoughts seemed as hazy as the white mist covering their feet.

After she found the coordinates to the ice planet that was apparently housing the xenomorphs, Cora looked at the unusually quiet yautja. With Sorus staring at the ground and lightly tapping his upper right mandible in a familiar manner, this clearly indicated that he was lost in deep thought. Reaching out, Cora placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled when the hunter looked up. He had been strangely silent ever since they left the ship to retrieve the information. She was not a mind reader but she had no doubt that he was either bothered or upset with something. Passing him the information, she watched as Sorus typed and sent the details to Elder K'rve.

While waiting for the elder to respond, Cora turned to the windscreen that overlooked the human city in the distance. She wondered what her yautja friend had been thinking about as he hardly spoke through the day. It was not like him to keep her in the dark when he had problems but he obviously needed time to sort things out. Glancing at Sorus, she smiled in understanding. Perhaps he was simply not yet ready to share this particular issue with her yet.

They did not have long to wait before the elder replied. Leaning back against the side of the controls, Cora listened as Sorus translate the message. It was a little surprising to know that Elder K'rve had asked another clan, who were much closer to the frozen planet, to take care of the situation. Looking down, Cora crossed her arms and frowned. From her experience with the clan, she was certain that violence and death were going to be tied in with their justice system.

Moving over to the side controls, Cora fingered a few buttons. Briefly looking over her shoulder at Sorus, she quietly asked, "How will the hunters from the other clan 'take care' of the situation?"

It was not difficult to see that the female was disturbed and it was rather obvious to see what she was concerned about. Clicking softly, he suspected Cora already knew the answer to her question. Pushing his earlier concerns away, he gently grasped her shoulder with a clawed hand. "The hunter who takes on this hunt will do what is required to prevent this ooman project from continuing."

Having grown accustomed to Sorus listen to her honest views, Cora let out her thoughts of the situation. What bothered her was the certainty that innocent people working in this second lab would be killed. "The people, probably scientists, are just employees and do not deserve to die. If anyone should be punished it should be the one who funded this project. If the primary person is not taken out of the equation then more projects like this could sprout."

After she had finished, Cora leaned back against the controls, giving the warrior a sad and worried look. He had given no response as to what he thought of the situation or her perception of it. However, the deep look in his amber eyes told her he was listening intently and that he was interested in what she had to say.

It was great that Sorus was keen to listen to her point of view but it did not mean that he could do anything to save the lives of the innocent. Shaking her head inwardly, Cora started to make her way to the eating area. As Sorus made no move to follow, she patted his shoulder as she passed and spoke in a low defeated tone, "Don't worry about what I said, it doesn't matter anyway."

Watching the ooman female walk down the corridor, Sorus smiled to himself and shook his head inwardly. 'The young healer should not undervalue her input in such a situation.' Then turning back to the controls, he proceeded to send a message on her behalf. She was ooman but she was now a part of the clan and her views in these situations would be important. Moreover, being a clan female and blooded as a healer gave her a respectable status. Her insight of the situation would also be taken into serious consideration by the warrior taking on this particular hunt.

After sending a detailed message to the elder in the Flaming Blood clan, Sorus stood up and headed to the dining area. Walking in, he sat down beside a gloomy looking Cora and watched as she ate the small pieces of tenderly smoked meat in silence. Tilting his head as she turned to look at him, he told her of the message. "I have told the other clan of your views and requested that only the hard meat be hunted."

Putting the food down slowly, Cora carefully asked, "How about the people working there?"

"Only armed oomans will be hunted if they raise their weapons first." Sorus replied in an almost gentle tone. He knew how she felt about the death of her kind but this was the truth. If any hunter perceived a being to be dangerous then it would be prey for the hunt.

The next moments surprised Sorus greatly when Cora suddenly jumped up to hug him. He wrapped and arm around her waist and chuckled lightly at her show of affection. Her response was a certainty that indicated she was pleased with his actions. And he was glad that he was able to remove this worry from her shoulders.

Cora was completely different from any females he knew. The healer found joy in the simple things in everyday life, yet finding ways to please her were not so easy. He could not simply present a skull to impress her nor could he hope to gain her attention as a mate with his hunting skills. Rather, it seemed that she was only attracted to the innate characteristics she saw in a person, and this was what he cherished in the one he would claimed as a lifemate.

Suddenly aware of her actions, Cora quickly pulled back from the hug. "Sorry Sorus." Stepping back, she lowered her eyes respectfully and bowed her head in an act of submission from her mistake. In her happiness she had forgotten that yautja were not a species that relished intimacy unless they were mates. Feeling gentle talons raise her chin up, she looked at him in silence, waiting for the warrior to say something.

Feeling the tension in the young female, Sorus leaned down to press his forehead to hers and lightly brushed a lower mandible across her cheek. It was a teasing yet gentle 'kiss' for his race. Seeing that she had learnt much of his culture, he wondered if she knew what he was trying to indicate. However, seeing the utter confusion in her eyes at his actions, the hunter stepped back and chuckled softly. It seemed that he would need to use a direct approach for Cora to understand.

Crossing his arms, Sorus kept a straight face but stated lightly, "If I had known that you enjoy physical closeness, I would have sent the message earlier."

Glad that Sorus was not offended and surprised that he would tease her like that, Cora smirked and crossing her arms, replied in kind, "Well, if I had known that you wanted hugs, I would have made you earn them."

Amused at the 'challenge' the female had inadvertently proposed, the warrior spread his mandibles in a wide grin. "Tell me then, how can I earn them?" A little confused to see Cora waving her hand and gesturing for him to lean down instead of verbally answering him, he complied. She was probably answering him in her own way and he was curious to see what the healer would do.

The moment Cora stepped closer to him and touched his mandibles with her fingers in a soft soothing motion, Sorus widened his eyes in surprise. This was an undoubtedly intimate move. Was she finally responding to his courtship? He had witnessed ooman couples pressing their lips together in an act of intimacy. Was Cora trying to do the same?

Placing his clawed hands on her waist, he was glad when she did not pulled back. Then gazing at her, Sorus relaxed and spread his mandibles wider to give her time to explore and grow comfortable. As the young female tenderly traced the sensitive flesh on the inside of his mandibles, he felt himself swiftly warming to her gentle caress. Even as a healer, Cora most likely did not know that the mandibles could act as fighting tusks on the outside but the softer flesh on the inside was extremely sensitive to touch.

Cora stood there for a moment and smiled at the fearsome warrior's puzzled expression. Sorus had obliged to her silent request and probably did not expect this 'studying' of him as an answer to the challenge. Tracing her fingers over the side of his jaw and along his lower mandibles, she had to resist chuckling when he tapped his upper mandibles in a manner than seem to indicate nervousness. Moving closer, she gently moved her thumb on the edge of a lower mandible and slipped her finger underneath to touch the softer tissue on the other side.

As if understanding her intentions, the mandibles remained open to expose the tender flesh on the inside. Using the softest of touches, Cora traced her fingers along the fine lines on the underside of the mandibles. Looking at the small sharp teeth that were normally covered over by his fighting tusks, she moved a little closer and peeked into the mouth that was slightly open to see tender folds at the back of his mouth. Finishing the examination, she stepped back only to find that Sorus had placed his hands on her waist and wasn't letting go.

Blushing lightly, Cora smirked. Then clearing her throat, the young healer crossed her arms over her chest and teased him. "I don't think you've earned a hug yet." As he released her, she moved back and continued casually, "I was studying your anatomy to see what other foods you could handle."

With his mandibles hanging slightly open, Sorus stood before her completely dumbfounded at the female's response. Taking a small step back, he kept his silence as he waited for her to continue. He should have known better. Cora, being the person she was, was still focused on the challenge. Listening as she stated the challenge, Sorus was just glad that he had not embarrassed himself by making any moves earlier.

Grinning, Cora stated, "If we get a chance, I will introduce some foods that we humans eat. And each time you try something new, you earn a hug." Hearing Sorus snort as if it was all too easy, she gave him a playful smile and added, "Don't rejoice just yet, you have no idea what I've got in mind."

Amused at this strange yet refreshingly different kind of challenge, the hunter stood to his full height and nodded. "I look forward to this challenge." This would make a very interesting courtship indeed. The young female had just helped pave the way to gaining her favor. He had known that it was not possible to gain her attention through his trophies and even his rank. And as he had expected, Cora was unique and would not be claimed that easily.

With the knowledge that she relished all different types of stimulating challenges, this was something he could use in his courting. All the challenges she had proposed from the very beginning involved stimulating the senses, mind and body. Gazing down at her as she finished the last bits of food, he smiled inwardly. She was no huntress but the prospect of having her as a lifemate made his heart pound with fondness and contentment. He would take on all her challenges and prove that he was a suitable mate in her eyes.

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On learning that the xenos were finally found and to be exterminated as well as of Sorus and Cora's return, Andree was elated. Her injuries were now fully healed and she had resumed her private training with the elder a few nights ago. Having just mended multiple broken bones, Kal'fa had prevented her training of the young bloods for the moment. Compared to yautja bones, human bones were, after all, a lot less dense.

Looking around the elder's massive room, Andree smiled inwardly. So much had happened after she and Cora suffered the assault in the medical bay, and she was looking forward to talking with her friend again. It would not be long before the healer returned and she was sure that Cora would have much to share after spending so much time in the company of a certain warrior.

Packing the few clothes that Kal'fa had brought from the room she shared with Cora, Andree prepared to leave the elder's room before her friend came back. Besides, she could now move without any discomfort so it was only right that she returned to her own dwelling. As she packed, Andree reflected on the events of the past few days. Her feelings for the second-in-command had grown considerably and she had little doubt that it was because Kal'fa had been more forthcoming in his approach.

Even after the rigorous training of the young bloods in the day, he continued to put the extra effort in sparring with her privately at night. And Andree had also noticed that the elder had been increasingly affectionate. Gazing at the massive trophy wall in his room, the huntress smiled inwardly as she thought about the training last night. After Kal'fa had unintentionally hurt her right shoulder during their spar, he had ceased the session and held her close to examine the injury.

During his examination, he had tenderly stroked her back in a manner that sent a shiver of pleasure through her. And though she had pulled back slightly in reflex, Andree knew that Kal'fa had seen her reaction and purred deeply in response. It was a touching moment and she had wanted it to last. Walking over to his trophy wall, she traced a finger over the brow of a hard meat skull and sighed. She was almost certain that the extra effort Kal'fa put in, to get her to respond to him, was due to the yautja females that boarded during the day. It seem that all the males were on edge with this mating season. And this made her wonder if this was the reason he was pushing for their relationship to take the next step.

Moving forward was not something she mind, however, the elder had yet to mention the development and direction their relationship was taking. Also, Andree remembered the conversation she had with Cora about the yautja taking lifemates and it bothered her to a certain extend. Her human life was significantly shorter compared to a yautja and if what her healer friend said was true, then mating with Kal'fa would tie his life to hers. No matter how much she would have liked to be with him, there was no sense in him taking his life when hers was over. Continuing her slow packing, Andree held back the tears from these sad thoughts.

She and Cora did not have much difficulties adapting and living with the yautja. Much of their easy settling was due to the elders supporting their presence and for this Andree was thankful. It allowed her to embrace life as a huntress. Moreover, their culture was something she had grown to love in the past months of their stay. The warrior's way of life was something she wanted, and to share this with a yautja elder she had come to love was more than she could ever ask for. But she would not choose this path if it meant ending Kal'fa's life after he spent a few short decades with her.

With the main door opening, Andree looked up from her packing to see Kal'fa stroll into the room toward her. Observing him as he moved closer, she tried to discern the expression he showed. It had taken a while for her and Cora to accustom themselves to the yautja physical make-up and even now when she was use to it, she still found it fascinating. It was still beyond her how their mandibles could handle different foods but it was interesting to watch the movements of their tusks. Their mandibles weren't only used for eating or fighting but as a means to express their emotions. Her race would have considered their looks as hideous and she had to admit that she thought the same at first. However, given a chance to live with and understand this race, it had changed her perception of them.

With mandibles spread slightly in a relaxed manner, Kal'fa walked up to the huntress. Now with the hard meat being dealt with, he could at last focus all his attention on the ooman female in his room. A small number of breeders had arrived a little early and this already sent the focus of all the hunters on breeding instead of training. Knowing how much a hunter could persist in a seasonal courtship, he intended to mate Andree before other ships docked. This would ultimately minimize the chances of her being caught up with other high ranking hunters that were soon to board.

Over the past two days, Kal'fa had sensed that something was troubling her. Despite being curious about it, he had not pressed Andree to see what bothered her. What mattered to him was that their feelings were mutual. This was clearly indicated in their recent spar. Andree's reaction to his touch had shown that he already had her heart and he had purred in response to show that he wanted her too. Also, there was no doubt in his mind that she had a warrior's spirit and that they were both of the same spirit. Being one in heart and spirit, Kal'fa decided. Now would probably be the best time to ask Andree to be his mate.

Walking up to the ooman female, Kal'fa placed his massive clawed hands on her shoulders. As he drew her a little closer to him, the elder breathe in deeply. "Andree, I want you to be my lifemate." Pausing a moment, he moved one hand from her shoulder to raise her chin up to meet his gaze as Andree started to cast her face down to the ground. "I will have only you as my mate. I will protect and defend your honor and life as my own." Seeing her take a small step back, Kal'fa released her and waited for her response. Her reaction to his proposal showed uncertainty as she looked to the ground with her head bowed.

With a flood of emotions pouring into her, Andree felt her mind cloud. She had looked forward to this moment for so long but now she was no longer sure if being with him was the right choice. Shaking her head slightly, the huntress turned and shot out the room.

Completely stunned by this response, Kal'fa watched as she bolted from his chambers. Cursing, he growled aloud and quickly gave chase. He was grateful that it was now late into the night. In his agitated state, any young bloods in his way would have been knocked aside and would no doubt be confused at his behavior.

As he closed in on her, Kal'fa knew Andree would shut the door the moment she dashed into her room. Shadowing the huntress, he swiftly entered the room just behind her. In a move meant to incapacitate her, Kal'fa pulled her up to him before she could had a chance to turn to the controls. Tenderly embracing her in his arms, with her back pressed against his hard chest, he rattled softly. "Why did you run? Are you uncertain about us being together?" As the elder waited for her to calm and respond, he leaned down and let his greying dreadlocks fall over her shoulders as he tighten his grasp ever so slightly.

Wriggling to move away, Andree turned around to face Kal'fa when he released her. "Cora and I have discussed this issue before...about yautja being lifemates. With humans, if one person in the relationship dies the other continues to live. But...this is different in yautja culture isn't it?"

Using the back of one hand to gently stroke the side of her face, Kal'fa nodded. "A lifemate has great meaning in our culture. The bond is strong between the two so when one dies their mate will also follow in death."

Seeing Andree look down with sadness, Kal'fa pulled her closer to him to press her against his chest. He understood that the fear and sadness she felt was not for herself but for him. Fear that he would be left alone. He honestly could not blame her for having these emotions for they were born from her ooman culture and upbringing. Accepting death in hunter culture was something he was brought up with thus easy for him to accept but it was not the same for her.

Still, he had to try and help Andree understand what it meant to have a lifebond in yautja culture. "You know hunting and having a mate or mates are the two main focuses in our culture. If a yautja has a lifemate they will hunt and train their young together." Pausing, the elder let the words sink in for a few moment before continuing, "If a life companion dies, the hunt becomes meaningless as a hunter would have nothing meaningful to return to. That is why they live and die together." Life was only meaningful if there was something purposeful in it. And Andree would have to understand that if one lost their lifemate, hunting and life itself would hold no meaning.

Glancing up at Kal'fa, Andree sighed. "Why didn't you choose another yautja to be your lifemate? Together you could have lived out your long lives. Human lives are so short, it would be insignificant time spent on me compared to what another female yautja could offer over the long years."

Breathing in deeply, Kal'fa gently stroked her back. "Yautja recognize a lifemate through their spirit not through appearances. Time spent meaningfully with you is better than spending long years with another mate that bears no meaning."

Tapping his upper mandible, the elder silently wondered if he should mention to Andree that when a yautja finally finds his or her lifemate they will accept no other mate. Even if they were turned down, when a yautja has made up his or her mind on a lifemate they would most likely continue for the rest of their life in courting or protecting this one mate. But seeing Andree's eyes gradually light up as if smiling up at him, Kal'fa knew he did not need to consider letting up such information.

With happy tears streaming down her face, Andree nodded and returned his embrace. "I would love to be your lifemate." There was no point in fighting it. She would feel hollow if she left the elder, and would later regret her decision. She loved Kal'fa and the yautja culture. And though this decision would mean being homesick from time to time, she was certain that her mate would not mind letting her return home every now and again.

After their long embrace, Kal'fa stepped back and looked down at his mate. "We should pack your belongings."

Nodding, Andree moved to pack her remaining belongings in her large backpack. As they slowly made their way back down the empty corridors to their room in the upper deck, the huntress glanced back curiously at Kal'fa. 'Why would the elder suddenly want to walk just behind her instead of in front or beside her?'

As if reading her thoughts, Kal'fa eased up his clawed hand and rested it on her shoulder as they continued walking. "Senior hunters usually walk in front because of their rank and a courting male would walk beside a female to show his intent. But as mates, a female would walk before the male. This is a sign of respect in our culture. All females naturally hold such honor as they are the ones who bear the future."

Andree smiled as she took the massive hand on her shoulder and grasped it as they walked back into the elder's room. "I don't mean to disappoint you but I want to continue hunting for a while more before I consider becoming a mother."

Taking the backpack off his mate, Kal'fa purred softly and moved to lightly press his brow against hers. "Then we will only mate when you are not in heat." Slowly pulling back, he clicked lightly, "Because you are ooman, you will need to receive my blood to conceive." As the elder took all her belongings and put it in the storage wall, he made a mental note to arrange for Andree to go down to the medical bay the next day.

After the elder had stored her things away and walked to stand by the door, Andree tilted her head in question. "Did you want to go the_ kehrite_ for our nightly training?"

Standing at the door, Kal'fa tapped his upper mandibles lightly as he fingered the door's controls. "Would you like to train here instead?" Looking around the room, the huntress shook her head. Though the room was huge it was not the best place for a spar. Still looking at his mate, Kal'fa knew she completely missed his meaning. Twitching a lower mandible, he glanced over at the bed.

Following his gaze to the bed and catching his drift, Andree looked up at Kal'fa and smirked. "So...you want a different sort of training tonight?" Twitching his lower mandible again he looked at her with a heated gaze. "It is your choice to make. Females have control over what a couple does in these situations."

Walking up to the elder, Andree closed the door and locked it. She then leaned close and whispered playfully, "If I can't beat you in our nightly spars then I will beat you in our '_training_' tonight."

Laughing heartily, Kal'fa scooped his mate up and carried her to the bed. "We shall see."

_**Lemon (aka sexual situation) starts here – for those who are underage or do not like to read such, you can skip it. There is a marker below to let you know when it is over**_

Andree was tempted to reply but the elder gave her no time to retort. From the moment she was lifted into his arms, his usual musk turned into a scent that seemed oddly sweet and overwhelmingly strong. And being pressed against Kal'fa's broad chest only helped to make her mind become more fuzzy from the strange smell.

As she was gently laid down on the bed, Andree closed her eyes as a clawed hand moved through the masses of her long hair in a soothing motion. Distracted by the heady scent, she was hardly aware of the skilled clawed hands that were gingerly removing her coverings with ease. Suddenly feeling his cool callous fingers moving against her bare skin, Andree slowly opened her eyes as she shivered from the contact. She gazed at the massive yautja lying beside her. Easing her hands up to his well muscled torso, Andree traced her finger over the proud scars on his chest. This effectively drew a deep purr that vibrated her body and made her feel increasingly warm.

As her soft fingers traced heated patterns over his board chest, Kalfa purred in response. Gently pushing her to lay back, he tenderly traced a clawed hand down her soft curves before easing it back up to cup a breast. Slowly massaging the highly sensitive flesh and drawing soft mewling sounds from his mate, the elder felt the discomfort of his flesh under the loincloth increasing with each passing moment. After showering the same attention to the twin mound, he slowly moved his clawed hand down the flat of her stomach to her hip when a small hand ceased his exploration.

Clicking softly in question, the hunter followed Andree's lead as she shifted and moved to straddle him. With the heat of her womanly core pressing against him, Kal'fa groaned and thrusted his hips against his mate to relieve the pressure built up in his loins. Keen to remove the cloth that separated them, he almost whined when both his clawed hands were seized by two firm hands and placed on the female's hips.

Grinding down a little, Andree smirked at the massive male beneath her before leaning down on the tensed muscled chest. "I hope you haven't forgotten about our little challenge." There was no way she was going to let this opportunity to win slip by especially after the elder had just told her that females had control in mating situations.

With the cloth restraining the huge bulge pressing against her womanhood, it was obvious that the male under her was extremely aroused. And though Andree did not know how long she could tempt Kal'fa before giving in herself, she would hold out as long as she could. "You are not to move your hands from my hips unless you are willing to give in." Finding it a little hard to breathe, she paused for a moment before continuing, "To make it fair, we will only mate when one of us gives in."

Kal'fa looked up and blinked as he registered the information. Not willing to be the first to give in, he moved his hips upward to tease her squirming form but was taken by surprise when her small hand grasped his hard flesh through the loincloth. Feeling his mate's free hand tenderly trace the ridges of his brow and Andree moving up to place her soft ooman lips on his blooded mark, he held tight onto her hips and groaned at the sensation.

It was maddening! To have his mate lying on his chest with her hand tenderly fondling him through his loincloth while her soft panting breaths sent his blood boiling with throbbing need. He held firmly onto her and thrusted harder, only to be rewarded with a mind shattering blow as her hand move over the bottom of the cloth to further stimulate the sac underneath by pressing against it. Breathing hard, Kal'fa decided he had endured enough.

Yautja females could throw their mates off the bed and even across the room with little effort. Andree could not do this if she was displeased. But this...this was torture!

Kal'fa reversed their positions so his mate was lying beneath him. The hunter groaned aloud as he eased a shaky clawed hand between them to remove her hand from his groin. Her gentle yet firm hold had stimulated him to near unbearable lengths. And now on the verge of release, he would not shame himself by letting his seed go outside his female. Kal'fa knew he had to admit his defeat as he could not mate her unless she indicated her readiness. Noting her surprise, as Andree was pinned beneath him, the elder drew a deep rumble from his chest and nuzzled her tenderly before grunting out with strain. "You win."

Letting Andree remove the troublesome cloth and toss it aside, Kal'fa positioned himself and entered her slowly. He was patient with his lifemate. It was their first time together and he would do this slowly, giving her a few moments to adjust to him and relax into his embrace. With her arms wrapped around his neck, he started the ancient rhythmic dance. Pounding into the vixen beneath him, he intended to carry this ultimate intimacy late into the night.

The build up before their joining had been so intensed that Kal'fa was deaf to his growls. He was barely aware of his ooman mate's blunt clawless fingers digging into his back and hip each time they climaxed. Finally being able to mate Andree, all he was focused on was the delightful soft sounds she made. It was important to see to a female's pleasure and comfort first. Since his first mating he had never failed in pleasing a female nor did he intend to start.

With his mate being the first to wear out, the elder carefully shifted so they lay on their side but remained buried deep within her. Never once in his younger years did he think that he would be one of the few yautja to find a lifemate. Gazing down at Andree, Kal'fa purred softly and tenderly wrapped his sleeping mate in his arms. His life somehow felt fuller with her by his side. It did not come as a disappointment when she made it clear that she was not prepare to bear a pup yet. But he looked forward to the day when Andree would carry his suckling. They were bonded for life now and, for the first time, he would experience raising a pup with his mate.

_**(Lemon ends)**_

Closing his eyes, Kal'fa smiled inwardly. Now he did not have to worry about mating season anymore. He had finally won the huntress over. Causally flexing his clawed hand before gently stroking Andree's back, the elder tapped his mandibles lightly, he pitied anyone would attempted to court her from him. He had earned his place to be her mate and he would challenge any hunter to a death match if they tried and court his precious mate from him.

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Screaming out again Audrey pounded the small window in anger as she watched Darren's loyal dogs depart from the frozen planet. The entire facility was in lockdown and the all the electronic systems had been cut off. Even with the building still powered up, no one could get in or out. All hope to freedom was now lost. Deaf to the hustling of the other scientists in the building, she slid down against the cold wall and sobbed.

Audrey tilted her head down to look at her shaky hands before closing it to form tight fists. Darren had instructed his soldiers to set the facility's self-destruct to go off soon and there was no way to send a message out for help. As the head scientist, she had access to more systems. Unfortunately, she had found that along with the lockdown of the entire facility, it was impossible to get a distress signal out. All forms of communication were jammed.

Apparently, Darren had planned all this in advance and did not want word of his pet project to spread. Audrey knew the xenomorphs were still secured in their cages and now wondered if she should let them loose. Either way she and her team were doomed so it did not really seem to matter how they died.

A slap to her face made Audrey look up at her co-worker. Sandra stood over her superior and glared down at her. "We have less than a half hour before this place blows so I suggest you start helping the rest of us find a way to escape." Seeing the emotionless blank look on the older woman's face, Sandra growled, "We still have a few transport ships outside and, like you, I have family waiting for me to return to."

Clenching her fists, Audrey reached out and grabbed the outstretch hand to stand. Sandra was right. Not all was lost yet. If they could somehow get to the ships outside then they would get away without Darren ever knowing. The facility would blow up and he would not be able to track them. She would then be truly free!

Audrey swiftly made her way down to the main office with Sandra following close behind. There were seven of them left here and, being the most senior, she felt responsible in ensuring her younger colleagues survived. Entering the room, it seemed that besides Sandra and herself, two others would try to again access to the security systems using different terminals. The other three were already out searching for an alternate exit. Frantically trying to hack into the tight security, the head scientist tried to find a way to either unlock the outer doors or to stop the count down.

Audrey was shocked when the power to the entire facility suddenly shut down, leaving them in complete darkness. She responded after a few seconds and fumbled to grab the small torch she left in her work drawer. Turning it on, Audrey shone the light around the room to see the three other people in the room quickly move toward her. She could see the fear in their eyes as they all came to the same conclusion. Shutting off the power to the entire site would allow them to escape but it also meant that the xenos would be running loose.

The four crouched down and moved closer to each other as sounds of thick metal being pounded and ripped through in the distance was heard. Shaking in fear, Audrey quietly looked at Sandra before facing Heather and Ray. "What do we do now?"

As sounds of fighting and muffled screams was heard after a moment, it was clear that their three workmates would not be returning to them. Ray slowly stood up and looked down at the three women huddled together. "I'm going to take my chances. It's better than staying here and waiting to die." Seeing that none of them move to follow, Ray dashed out the room.

With the torch clutched in shaky hands, Audrey had completely tuned out to the soft crying from the two women trembling beside her. She should have known that working for Darren meant that she would never escape this nightmare. Closing her eyes, Audrey could not shut out the screaming in her mind of the injustice of their situation. The sole comfort she had now was that this horror would soon be over. Silently accepting her fate, she hoped that it would be painless and swift.

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**__**Author's note:**_ This chapter was initially over 14000 words so I decided to split it into two.

Also, I have given Daring Scylla permission to use my characters in the development of a new fan fic but our stories will not be linked.

_Dear readers, romance does not necessary have to link in with lust (ie sexual situations) so I will only write about sexual situations if it supports something further down in the story. To me, romance is the thought and effort put into the little things a partner does for his/her loved one. (Hmm, probably why I'm still looking for Mr Right and not someone wanting to use me as a bus-stop!) _

_Btw, I plan to travel in May so am hoping to post at least 2 chapters before I go. ;)_

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****Special thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter:**

**Rebal21:**Thanks for the review and the gentle prodding :)

**infernothechinchilla:** Glad that you enjoyed that chapter. If you have a taste for romance then look forward to chapter 42 ;)

**pearldrum:** I love that particular part too! I had to read it a couple of times to make sure it flowed alright.

**Captain Razz:** Lets see when Cora is going to acknowledge her feelings.... ;)

**Kamil the Awesome:** I'm glad you like the way it is progressing. Darren will be coming in as more of a main character in the last chapter in part 2 as well as throughout all of the third part of this story.

**Darkness Maiden of Avalon:** I'm happy to know that you like chapter 39, it was one of my favorites as well!

**Daring Scylla: **Thank you for your wonderful review. I was laughing when I saw that your friend's name was also Sorus! It was just something I made up but never thought it was a real name outside.

**Nanoe:** Sorry about the long wait again. I promise that the next chapter will not be as long. Most likely late March/early April.

**Ginstar3: **I hope you enjoy the development of Kal'fa and Andree in this chapter :)

**Zarsthor:** I was smiling when I read that you snuck away during Christmas to read the chapter. Thank you for pointing out the corrections in the last chapter too. Also, I hope this chapter ties Audrey and Andree back in for you ;)

**Reika76:** I agree...I'm on the look out for a predator like him in 2010 too!

**Kallisto:** Thanks for reviewing. I think I would separate it into Au-dree (dragging the _ee_)

**mariah:** I was laughing when reading your review. On your lollipop and choc-chip cookie offer, I'll hint to you that things will be really heating up in the next few chapters of part 2. ;)

**Anon9305:** I was really impressed and happy to read your lengthy review. I do try not to deviate from the storyline and carefully plan each challenge or situation to support the happenings of the later chapters. Thank you for kindly pointing out the little hiccup as well. In answer to your two questions: 1. I have not written about them eating other foods besides meat so far – but I have planned for the yautja fruit, naxa, to come into the story in chapter 42; 2. I gave this issue much thought and decided to make it as realistic as possible. Being a major fan of documentaries, I didn't think our close primate relatives would be able to have offspring with homosapiens so I thought to make it a little more difficult for yautja and oomans to have young together. I hope that answers your questions:)

**Vicsterispissed:** I'm glad that you like the development of the characters, its not easy to build up each character but in the end it is worth the time and effort. About your question: I will be touching base on the issue of their lifespan in the third part of this story :)

**MercuryAshlingPrincess:** Thank you for your review. I'm glad that you liked the flow of the chapter coz I take a lot of time reading it over and over again to make sure the flow of the chapter is as smooth as possible. ;) How's your fan fic coming along?

**Fulminis ictus:** Great to know that you like the story. I hope you will continue to enjoy it to the end :)

**Storylover213:** Thanks for the review. Glad to know you are looking forward to the next chapter.


	41. Moving forward

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

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****Chapter 41**

Moving forward

Elder Torek growled as he landed the ship close to the ooman facility and use the ship's scanner to indicate the number of hard meat. He was third in command in the Flaming blood clan and was the main trainer for the young unblooded yautja. With three blooded hunters under him, he was thankful that they were all good at following orders. Though it was not unusual for blooded hunters to stay and train the young males in his absence, landing the training ship on a hard meat infested planet with a group of unblooded was not wise. The unblooded were always keen to prove themselves and might use this as an opportunity to try something stupid.

K'rve, an elder from the Silver Star clan, had sent a message regarding missing hard meat and being an elder himself, he could not refuse lending assistance in the situation. It was bad enough that oomans had their hands on the hard meat. But in this case it was a great offence to the yautja race as the oomans had made it clear that they would use the hard meat against their race.

What puzzled him, however, was a second message that came through just before he landed the ship. A hunter from the same clan as K'rve had sent a message to spare the lives of the oomans who were not armed. It was not something Torek would usually take heed of except he had met the elite warrior a few times and respected him. The brief explanation seemed valid so he would honor Sorus' request. Even if the honored warrior had listened to the advise of a blooded ooman healer, as stated in the message, if Sorus respected this blooded ooman then he would do no less. Afterall, no elder would mark an ooman as clan if they were unworthy.

Torek moved over the ship's controls and sent a signal out to override the oomans' simple computer system and shut down the power. Then activating his cloak, the elder opened the hatch and secured the small training ship before rushing toward the ooman facility. He hoped to finish this particular hunt quickly. Smashing in one of the side doors with his spear, he cursed aloud. 'Why in the world would oomans want to inhabit a frozen planet?' Despite oomans being able to generate and manage their body heat better than yautja, to live in such freezing condition was simply madness.

If it weren't for the damn cold, he could have taken more time to scout the area first before breaking in. However, scouting would serve no purpose in this hunt as the scanner indicated that all the hard meat were locked inside. Swiftly moving down the dark narrow corridors in the ooman building, Torek had no doubt that shutting down the power would weaken the locks that kept the hard meat in their cells. He would have to hurry if he wanted to hunt all the hard meat before they escaped.

As expected, the hard meat were already searching for a way out when he entered. Not wanting to waste time, the elder aimed at the oncoming hard meat and took out the first two with his plasma cannon before swiftly ripping through the last drone with his spear. Stepping over the lifeless _kainde amendha_, Torek frowned. The warrior hard meats here seemed a little off...they somehow seemed slower and weaker. Running down the corridor, Torek slowed as he came across two unconscious oomans on one wall and another on the opposite wall. These oomans were all male.

After a quick internal scan that showed all three had been infected, Torek eased out his spear. With a smooth downward motion, the elder sliced through both the ooman's heart and the infant _kainde amendha_. No hard meat were going to escape him this day. He ran down the cold hallway and tapped his mandibles in anticipation as he cleared the first level without any further encounters.

Following the awkward ooman staircase down to the next level, the elder let out a deafening roar as a warrior _kainde amendha _charged him. Plunging his twin blades into the black warrior's shoulder, Torek dodged the speared tail and jumped to the side as it swung to slash at him. As he moved to the side, the elder punched a hole deep into the hard meat's torso with his spear. Twisting the blade, the hunter forcefully ripped it out as he flung the body down the long passage. As the _kainde amendha _writhe in pain and screeched its death cry, Torek growled as sounds of hissing echoed back in response to its call.

Flying forward, he fired four blue bolts down the long passage as more hard meat came into view. Each shot hit its target full on and blew either a head or chest to smothering bits. The elder raced forward as another five drones charged toward him. Quickly slashing and tearing through the hard meat as they lunged at him, Torek left a trail of death and smoking bodies along the lower level as he made his way to the cages. In fighting these prey it confirmed his suspicion. They were all sick. Their reaction time was slow and their strength was halved in their weakened state.

Moving in haste, Torek growled out in annoyance. He hoped that Sorus' assessment of the situation was right. If the oomans had wanted war then it made no sense to weaken the hard meat. Something about all this did not sit right with him. Moreover, he had not come across any armed oomans yet and this made the place seem abandoned.

Following the trail left behind by the hard meat, Torek continued on with caution as he moved to the area where the _kainde amedha _were caged. He ripped open the remaining caged doors that were closed and took out the remaining hard meat. It seemed that the hard meat that remained in their cages were already dying and did not give much of a fight. The elder grunted as he pulled his spear from the last drone. He had wanted it to be a quick hunt but had not expected killing twenty seven hard meat in an ooman area to be such an easy feat.

Deciding to sweep over the area one more time before he leveled this place, Torek silently made his way down a passage way he did not pass earlier. Honing in on an unconscious ooman on the ground, he scanned the surroundings before moving over to the limp form. After he confirmed the presence of the small parasite growing in the chest cavity, the elder forcefully stabbed his spear into the sleeping form and moved on. With soft sounds of scraping at the end of the hallway Torek smoothly made his way down and slipped soundlessly into the end room. This appeared to be a control centre of some sort. He scanned the area and switched to different visual outputs and clicked in surprise at his findings.

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Audrey shuddered in fear as the sound of a blade tearing into flesh and bone echoed down the dark empty corridor. It had not been long since Ray had left and neither she nor her companions had moved from this spot. The door to the room remained ajar and not one of them had the courage to close it especially after hearing the sound of muffled screaming.

The head scientist shone the torch at the entrance and for a split second she thought she saw movement of some sort. Her suspicion of something entering the room was confirmed when three red dots appeared on her chest. Audrey quickly scrambled backwards but kept her eyes on the source of the red light as it moved over to Heather then Sandra's chest. Judging the way the light moved she figured the being to be extremely tall.

As the beams of laser disappeared, Audrey frantically shone the light around to locate the supposedly invisible being that had entered the room. She screamed out when the outline of the alien was closing in on them and turned to see Heather grabbing an empty flask and tossing at the outline of the massive form.

Torek sidestepped as the ooman at the furthest end threw an object at him. Clicking his mandibles, he grunted in annoyance and moved forward. Smelling their fear of him the elder shook his head inwardly. Even if Sorus and the ooman healer had not sent a message for him to spare unarmed soft meat he would not have killed these female oomans. It would have been dishonorable. These three were clearly not cut out to be worthy prey for any hunter.

Uncloaking, Torek slowly crouched down a few feet from the closest female as if studying her. Her fear was unnecessary. Though none of the unarmed _pyode amedha_ had continue to inch away from him, they were still trembling. With their current state of terror and his limited knowledge of their language, he probably would not be able to get any information out of them.

With the terrible state of the building and fear in these oomans, he guessed that they had been abandoned here. And having hunted the soft meats for many years he knew their race well enough to know and respect the intelligence of the oomans. He had no doubt that these females would seek revenge for their ill treatment. This might help lure out the main ooman mastermind who wanted the war between their races.

Moving slowly, the elder raised a clawed hand up. He had seen many oomans use this gesture when surrendering. "No fear." Torek waited for a moment as they digested the words and had calmed somewhat. Then typing into the device on his wrist, he removed it and set it on the ground. Tilting his head to face them the yautja grunted as they kept their unmoving gaze on his hands and mask. "Oomans leave." Pointing to the device he set on the floor he clicked, "Bomb."

Standing, Torek quickly moved back to the doorway but left the cloak off. Frustrated when the three showed their distress and stood slowly but remained huddled in the back of the room staring at him, he barked out, "Leave!" He had done everything he had come to do and if these females did not follow him then they chose death. Turning, he walked out the room.

"Hurry!" Sandra tugged on Audrey's sleeve as she dashed out into the darkness to follow the massive alien. The shock of the situation was still in their system but it no longer kept them frozen. As Audrey and Heather ran to follow Sandra, they all tried to ignore the dead bodies of their colleagues and xenomorph test subjects that lay around them.

When they had gotten outside, the blast of cold was for once refreshing. Seeing the strange alien hunter turn to face them for a brief moment before cloaking himself again, Audrey respectfully nodded once in his direction then dashed off after the two to the transport ship. Running up the ramp, she immediately went to the control room. Feeling the vibrations of the now ascending ship, Audrey sat back in one of the chairs and sighed in relieve. Never once would she have thought that the hunter race she was helping to eliminate would come to her rescue like that.

Finally able to relax, Audrey turned to her silent companions. "What will you both do now?"

Heather looked down to the ground and closed her eyes. "I don't care about this fight between Darren and that alien species. I just want to return home." Turning to Sandra, Heather saw the silent approval in her eyes as well. Then facing Audrey, she asked softly, "What about you?" She knew that, as head scientist, Audrey had to endure much more pressure from Darren and was secretly surprised that she was still sane after all she had gone through.

Leaning back, the older woman sighed. "For now I think I would do the same. We need to lay low for now and let Darren believe we are dead. Otherwise he would hunt us down." Still, after having been treated like trash and disposed of by her ex-employer in such a manner, she would not lie down and remain silent.

Clenching her fists, Audrey slowly looked up to meet the gaze of both women. "However, I would not give him the opportunity to hunt us down in the future. Having been in the project from the very beginning, I will do what I must to ensure he stays off our backs for good." Seeing Sandra and Heather giving her a soft smile of understanding she smiled back.

No doubt they agreed with her. Neither of them wanted to live in fear and the only way to eliminate this fear was to face it. Setting the course for home, Audrey turned to rest in one of the rooms. When everything calmed down, she would strike Darren when he least expect it. She knew enough to not risk her neck when dealing with cunning men like him. When she reported him to the authorities to have him policed, she would make sure that he would not be able to track it back to her. Climbing into the small bunk Audrey thought about the hunter who had saved them. She would do this not only to get her revenge but to help save the lives of those who saved her this day.

Torek watched as the oomans took off and boarded his own vessel. Taking off from the planet the elder sent a link from the ship to detonated the device he left behind. Though he could not confirm it he was almost certain that the three ooman females had intentionally been left behind on the planet. The soft meats were a strange race to do that to their breeders. They were not infected and their obvious lack of training showed that they were not bad bloods to deserve such punishment.

Though the females were not of his race, he did not stand for such unjust treatment. Growling to himself Torek made a mental note to keep and eye on any suspicious activities from the oomans. He had no doubt that this task would be difficult. Moving over the controls, Torek typed a message to K'rve to inform him of the hunt. Then sitting back his yellow eyes gazed into the coldness of space. He had a feeling this rotten ooman activity was far from over.

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Shortly after departing the desert planet, Sorus received a message from K'rve telling him about Torek's successful hunt. Turning to Cora, who had just finished her shower and was drying her hair behind him, he relayed the message and watched as she took in every detail.

As she listened Cora smiled at the way the elder from the ally clan took care of the situation. When Sorus had finished she sighed aloud. "Well, this hunt is finally over now. But I do agree with Elder Torek about keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity."

Still seated in the sole chair in the control room, Sorus held her gentle gaze and tapped his upper right mandible thoughtfully. "Will you stay with the clan after returning to the training ship?"

Noticing the twitching of his upper mandibles while waiting for her response, Cora raised a hand and gently rested it on the side of his face and traced his upper right mandible with her thumb. She smiled softly at Sorus as he closed his eyes for a brief moment and leaned into her hand before looking up to hold her gaze again. His actions reminded her of a feline seeking for attention but the twitching of his mandibles told of his nervousness. "Why are you nervous? Is something wrong?"

Sorus broke eye contact and turned to cast his amber gaze to the controls. "With the hard meat gone, I am interested to know what plans you have."

Putting her hand down, Cora looked out the screen into the calm blackness of space. "I haven't really thought about it yet. I want to discuss this with Andree after the whole hunt was over."

As she moved to sit on the floor beside the sole chair in the control room, Sorus wrapped a forearm around her waist and moved her to sit on his lap. The first time the hunter did this, it was when she was still ill and, it had been extremely uncomfortable. But eversince he succeeded in getting her to rest on his lap she had become accustom to it.

The warrior had reasoned that her body kept him warm in the coolness of the ship and this position made it more comfortable for her as well. She could find no argument with his reasoning. But upon further thinking, Cora could not help but laugh at the thought of the fearsome warrior carrying a fur blanket to keep warm in her absence. After she told Sorus of her thoughts he said nothing but his amber gaze had shone with amusement.

Smiling at the memory, Cora leaned her side against his broad chest and looked up to meet his soft gaze. "Andree spoke to me about Kal'fa as well as some of their training sessions. It seems like they have some sort of unspoken intimate relationship between them and I feel that Andree might choose to stay if the elder takes her as his sole mate." With sadness in her eyes, Cora turned and looked away.

"Are you worried about Andree staying with Kal'fa?" Her worry about the huntress and elder being mated did not make sense to him. As far as he was aware, in spite of the harsh training, both elders did not mistreat the huntress.

"I'm not worried about their relationship." Observing the distant stars, the young healer reached out and fingered the buttons on the control panel before her. "Even though Andree's profession was in architecture, fighting and hunting is something that she has always enjoyed and..." pausing, Cora lowered her voice, "I'll be happy if she finds happiness here in the clan."

The hunter could see the emotions written on her face. The quiet female was never very good at hiding what bothered her. "You fear losing her company." With how he felt about the possibility of Cora leaving, he could relate to her feelings of loss and loneliness.

Cora turned to face Sorus in affirmation of his statement. "I guess its just that we've been such close friends over the years." It was strange but it seemed as if his gentle ambers held a sadness that reflected how she felt. Leaning her head against his chest, Cora relaxed and closed her eyes. She found comfort in Sorus' ability to listen to her problems and understand her. Unlike her friends on Adetifia, he was a blanket of warm that helped sooth her when she felt insecure.

Sorus softly stroking her back with his clawed hand as he felt the weight of her unconfirmed decision heavy in his heart. Though he wanted to ask her so badly to stay he would make no move to bribe her using feelings of loss for Andree. If Cora stayed, he wanted it to be of her own free will. Her response, though, had somewhat confirmed his fears. The possibility of her leaving was imminent thus explaining her growing fear for the loss of her friend.

Knowing this, Sorus could not express his feelings for her at present. Her thoughts were now filled with concern for Andree. And while the healer had her mind occupied it would only make things more difficult if he forced her to sort her feelings for him as well. For now, he needed to be patient. He would wait for Cora to sort out her current worries and let it settle first before he made a move. Perhaps she could then think more clearly about being mated to him.

Tired, Cora shifted off Sorus' lap and slowly walked to the bedroom. Her head was still swimming with thoughts of Andree as well as plans for her own future. "I'm going to lie down first, I need some time to think about what I'm going to do regardless of whether Andree's decision to stay with the clan or not."

With a glimmer of hope, the hunter turned in the chair to watch her walk out. There still might be a chance of her staying with the clan. Sitting back in the chair, Sorus let his gaze roam the beauty of space. In the ooman vision it was a blanket of blackness dotted with sparkling lights in the distance. He had often sat here relaxing and admiring this scene with the healer when she was ill. But this night was different. He could not relax with other pressing matters on his mind. Until Cora came to a decision his own future was at a standstill. But this was not what bothered him. He had not told Cora all of K'rve's message. She did not know that the breeders had already started to arrive on the main vessel and soon other high ranking hunters would dock for mating season as well.

This was a time of the year that was filled with challenges. Being female, Cora would have little to worry about in terms of getting injured, as it was the role of the male to seek a female's attention. Yautja females, though violent, would probably also be little harm to her as breeders did not mind sharing a male. However, her nervous reaction to courting males would naturally drive him to be protective and he did not want his aggressive behavior to scare her. Moreover, the yautja manner of courting a seasonal female almost always involved vicious fights and sometimes a death match.

Tapping an upper mandible in thought, Sorus frowned. Her witnessing of such violence might alter his chances with her. Still, it was inevitable. He would not leave her side and would not turn down a fight if another male wanted her. Furthermore, he did not think Cora would want to be alone and surrounded by virile males during this time of the year.

Also, over the past half year, the young female had assisted Tofvi and Hrael in the healing of hunters who occasionally docked with the training vessel. And he was certain that this would have drawn the attention from these other hunters as well. Tightly grasping the armrests of the chair with his clawed hands, Sorus growled at the thought of other males trying to mate the ooman healer. With Cora's innocent mind she would most likely be enthusiastic about talking to the new hunters and learning yautja culture from them. This would make her an easy target for younger males attempting to gain the attentions of a female.

Breathing in deeply, the warrior slowly eased his worries away as he headed to the bedroom. He had not even noticed that it had been over an hour since Cora had left him. On entering the room, Sorus looked at the peaceful sleeping form on the bed and soundlessly walked over to her. Taking in her soothing scent, the hunter let it slowly calm his nerves.

In his youth, all he had wanted in life was to build on his honor and status. All he had cared about was to be acknowledged as a great hunter with numerous offspring to prove his prowess. To be known by all future generations as a warrior to be remembered. Letting his soft gaze linger on the gentle female, Sorus clicked lightly. He had already succeeded in becoming a skilled hunter and had sired many pups. Now being an elite, even amongst those ranked as honored, he felt no satisfaction.

Sitting down at the edge of the bed and purring softly at the young woman sleeping soundly, Sorus moved the curtin of hair that hid her face as she turned to lie on her side. The life he led before meeting Cora was a lonely existence and it was one he had no intention to return to. With his mind once again wandering on how other hunters might take her from him, he felt a rush of jealous anger heat his blood. He had no intention to lose her to any male.

Lightly tracing her jawline with the back of his finger, Sorus thrilled softly when Cora unconsciously responded to his touch. With a soft smile gracing her delicate features, she leaned into his gentle caress. In a way, he was thankful for the young healer's lack of awareness to his advances. Had she known of his courting she might have completely avoided him. Having been unaware of his pursue it allowed him to see how the young healer responded to him naturally.

Lying down, but still feeling somewhat unsettled, the hunter shifted his position several times before settling to lie on his side to face Cora. As if sensing his restlessness, Sorus was surprised when the young female opened her sleepy eyes slightly and move to rest her forehead against his chest.

"Sorus...you're restless. Whatever it is you are worried about, there's always tomorrow to think about it."

Sorus shifted closer to her and used gentle talons to trace the shell of her ear. He purred softly at her sleepy giggle and leaned over closer. "Why do you think I am worried?"

Stifling a yawn, Cora softly replied as she rolled to her other side with her back facing him. "I don't know I just feel it."

The warrior tapped his upper mandibles slowly, her reply had not surprised him. Even in her sleepiness Cora had revealed the depth of their friendship. Mere friends would not be able to sense nor understand another's concerns so easily. His being able to tuned in to her fears and concerns, and her sensing his restlessness as well as worries, was a clear sign of their close bond. Yet she failed to notice this.

Spreading his mandibles slightly, Sorus took in a deep breath as he prepared his next move. It was time to move forward. Easing his arm up, he slowly encircled her waist and pulled her up against him. With her back pressing against his chest, he felt Cora shift uneasily for a moment before gradually relaxing in his hold.

Even in her tiredness from the day's activities, his actions were slowly bringing her out of her restful slumber. Grasping lightly onto the massive forearm that wrapped around her waist, Cora tilted her head back slightly to Sorus. "Are you cold?" She could feel that his body temperature was not as warm as it should be. When he kept silent, Cora tried another approach. "Perhaps we should raise the temperature a little."

Holding still, she was certain that her friend would be able to sense her unease and was taken aback when Sorus retained his hold on her. His behavior was truly puzzling. If he was not using her body heat to keep warm then the only other conclusion she had was the fact that mating season was not far away. His strange actions seem to indicate that he wanted physical closeness and this was perhaps a sign that he was keen to have a female soon. And even though her thoughts were a little hazy at the moment it was clear that Sorus, being a male in his prime, was treating her this way because human and yautja females were physically similar.

Sorus grunted at her concerns to his comfort and shifted his head till it was over hers so she was snug against him. "The temperature is fine." This coolness was to her liking so it would stay this way.

As weariness eased her into relaxing in his hold, Cora felt her nervous heart calm. 'This was the male who had cared for her while she was unconscious. Surely she could let him cuddle her to satisfy his need for physical comfort?' Besides, Sorus held great honor and was trustworthy. The young woman sighed and decided to let him have his way. After all, it wasn't all that uncomfortable to be held so closely to him...rather, it felt nice. 'Perhaps this is what it feels like to be held by a loved one?' Cora softly smiled at the thought.

Maybe when she got home, she could consider the advances of her colleague. 'If Kevin is still single, he'd probably try asking me out again.' Cora sighed as she enjoyed the feeling in her current position. She had to wonder if this was how she would feel when she found the one for her. To feel safe and comfortable while wrapped in loving arms. Perhaps it was time she started to really look for someone and think about settling.

Being embraced like this made her body tingle and this seem to have brought on a deep rumbling purr from the massive form behind her. The vibration from the soft purrs caused the tingling sensation to intensify and made her shiver as the thick forearm slowly tightened around her. Smiling inwardly, Cora decided. Even if Sorus was just using her, she found that she liked being held so tenderly. It gave her a sense of peace. This train of thought surprised her as the healer suddenly became aware of the fact that her hunter friend had helped her overcome her fear of close physical contact. As her mind clouded over, Cora started to nod off again. Perhaps it was a good thing to have the warrior close to her now as he would probably be too busy during mating season to spend any time with her.

When Sorus smelt the steady rise of her arousal, in response to his actions, he could not help but spread his mandibles in a slight smile. He did not expect such a response from the gentle healer. If Cora had not rejected him after her body's natural reaction to him then he still had a chance to make her see that she was attracted to him too. Moving to rest his clawed hand on her warm abdomen, Sorus tenderly stroked the soft skin in slow soothing motions using a clawed thumb. He could feel her breathing slow as she lay completely relaxed against him. "This feels as if we are mates." He knew this was a bold move but it was a necessary one if he desired to move forward with her. Also, this would test her reaction to his intentions.

Her eyelids felt heavy as she drifted in and out of sleep. The young healer heard what he said and chuckled softly as she leaned her head back against the board chest. "I think we might need to hurry back to the main ship."

After the short span of silence, Sorus thought she had already fell back to sleep. But hearing the groggy response, he raised a brow. "Why?"

Using both her hands to grasp onto his clawed hand to stop his gentle motions, Cora replied sleepily, "Well, it is almost mating season now so I don't think we should return too late." Then twisting around and turning to sleep facing him, she yawned and continued softly, "Besides, I think you are in need of a female."

Seeing that his actions made Cora draw this conclusion, Sorus tenderly nuzzled her and sighed. "You are _a female._"

"Mmhm." Cora left her mind float off as she was gingerly held against him. Her reply, though agreeing to that statement, had failed to acknowledge the true meaning behind the words.

Despite the healer still being unaware, he had at least planted the thought already and this would have to do for now. Closing his eyes, Sorus tried to block away disturbing thoughts as the young woman shifted closer to him. The feel of her feminine form against him made him hard again. This was not the first time this happened. With Cora around, it seemed that the frequency of his becoming aroused was on the rise. And now returning to the training ship filled with mating pheromones, it would be a true test for him to endure this season of breeding till the ooman female decided what she wanted to do.

With mandibles spread slightly, the warrior sighed deeply as he took in her soft scent. He had considered claiming her as his mate during this trip and at least bed her once. To listen to her soft moans as he pleasured her and brought her to heights that no other male would ever have the honor of doing. To watch her eyes shine in wonder as they climbed together and to hear her cries when he filled her with his seed. To have her carry his scent so no hunter would take her from him. But it seemed that all he hoped for would have to wait just a little longer.

When they got back he would find a way to set her heart alight. Cocooning Cora in his arms, Sorus purred softly and held her close as he drifted off into peaceful slumber.

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Sorus could not help but spread his lower mandibles and grin at the ooman healer behind him when he brought his ship into the docking bay. For the last hour Cora had been restlessly pacing the ship in excitement and anticipation of arriving at the main ship. It was almost strange to see the young female behaving in such a manner as she was calm most of the time.

As soon as the ship docked Cora grasped his clawed hand and quickly rushed toward the ramp. The warrior chuckled as he let her tug him along. Her child-like antics and laughter made his heart light and warm. Typing a code into the main door, the hunter cast a quick glance at the female standing just behind him. Though she had released his hand and appeared settled he could feel Cora overflowing with happiness at returning to see the huntress.

With the ramp lowering, he too regained his composure. Except his mask, he was now dressed in full armour and ready for the usual formalities when boarding another larger yautja ship. As the smell of breeders wafted over, Sorus grunted and glanced at Cora to see if she noticed the scent. The dense air was filled with the scent of mating musk was made stronger in the humidity and hot temperature. The healer, however, did not seem bothered by it. Leading the way down the ramp, Sorus noticed Andree standing just before Kal'fa while K'rve stood in front of the two. It seemed that the elder had succeeded in his courting and mated the huntress already.

Sorus walked over to the small crowd where the leader greeted him first before greeting Cora. As K'rve stepped back, the warrior looked at the healer smiling widely beside him and clicked in amusement when Andree shot forward and gave Cora a hug. Watching from the sidelines with the two elders, Sorus smiled inwardly at their reunion.

It had only been just over a fortnight since Cora left but it felt much longer than that. Andree pulled back slightly then smiling, she whispered softly, "I guess I'll be staying here after all."

Returning the gesture, Cora nodded in understanding. "I'm glad you found your happiness here."

K'rve looked over Andree then Cora before stepping forward as they both turned to face him. "Hunt for missing _kainde amedha_ now over. You both stay here if you like."

Andree grinned as Kal'fa stepped up beside her and covered her shoulder with his massive clawed hand. "I will continue to stay with the clan." Taking Kal'fa's hand in hers she squeezed it gently.

The second in command looked down at his mate and purred softly before proudly adding, "Andree will stay here as my mate."

When all eyes turned toward the healer, Cora looked at K'rve and slowly shook her head. "I...I have not decided yet."

Resting his huge hand on her shoulder, K'rve calmly leaned down and spoke in a deep voice. "You are skilled healer and have given the clan much honor in healing skills and special training. Take time to decide. No hurry."

Cora raised a brow in puzzlement at the statement and looked from the elders to Sorus. "What special training?"

All three yautja chuckled at her ignorance. Clicking lightly, the leader gently grasped her shoulder and explained, "In your challenges you train young hunters in special way." The healer had taught the young bloods to think before acting and this would save many in dangerous hunts.

As his words slowly sunk in the leader chuckled lightly when the healer smiled sheepishly as realization dawned on her. Having taken in her scent at such close proximity, K'rve frowned inwardly. He expected the warrior to claim Cora as his mate already but her scent told him she was still untouched. Withdrawing his hand, K'rve looked at Andree then Cora. "Rest now." Turning, he led the four into the depths of the ship. As the leader and the two hunters walked to the next level, Cora headed to her room with Andree beside her.

Half way down the corridor, K'rve glanced over at his brother, _"Kal'fa, oversee the blooded hunters displaying their skills in the kehrite."_Then looking to Sorus, he studied the warrior, _"We will look at the planets in the next system in preparation for the hunt after mating season is over." _

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On entering their room, Cora dropped the large backpack on the ground and laid down on the bed. "So....you and Kal'fa are together now."

Andree sat on the side of the bed and looked down at her friend with a wide smile. "He asked me a few days ago." Then flopping down, she turned to lie on her stomach and sighed in contentment. "I know that its going to be different living with them and life might be a little rough but I enjoy their lifestyle and, more than anything else, I love being with Kal'fa."

The huntress noticed the look of concern in Cora's eyes and tried to reassure her. "I have to admit that he is strict and even violent when training the young bloods but he's understanding and makes great company." Pausing a moment, Andree glanced over at her friend and gave her a soft smile. "Kal'fa wanted me to be his lifemate. And though I can defend myself on most occasions, I feel safe knowing that he would protect me at all costs."

"Sounds like you're smittened in love." Cora replied softly. With Andree coming from an extremely wealthy background, her friend found it hard to find someone who would love her for who she was. And Elder Kal'fa was the one person that had truly captured the huntress' heart. Though she had to admit that she found it hard part with her good friend, Cora was happy for her.

Andree laughed softly and nodded. She had noticed the subtle sadness in Cora's hazel gaze and could guess the reason behind it. "I have found everything I truly desire here and I'm contented with it." It was about time she learnt what Cora had planned. "How about you? Any interesting developments on the road to recovery?"

Moving to sit cross legged on the bed, Andree shifted so her back was against the wall. She listened with a keen ear to the details of the trip and smiled inwardly when the healer mentioned Sorus asking about her plans for the future. "So...what did you tell Sorus?"

Tilting her head to one side in thought Cora stared blankly at the ceiling as she ran her fingers over the fur covers. "I told him I needed time to think and wanted to talk with you about it first. But since you're staying with the clan, I have decided to leave." Pausing, the healer gave a tired sigh and closed her eyes. "When we took our holiday down at Bolva it was suppose to be our time away from work. But since the incident, I have yet to take a break."

Cora laid in silence on the bed and cracked an open an eye to glance at Andree. "I just feel burnt out at the moment and I think I need a holiday for some quiet time alone."

Andree sighed and shook her head. "What holiday destination do you have in mind?"

"I want to return to the project cabin on Taliona." Cora had told Andree about her projects in the past and was sure the huntress remembered this planet. She had only been to the planet twice before but had found it relaxing. It was one of the first projects she conducted as team leader and it was meant to ensure the survival of a few endangered animals brought over from Earth. "My team and I had a small cabin built a little way from civilisation so I want to have my break there before heading home to Adetifia."

The huntress studied her a moment before nodding in understanding. "Ever since we have come on board, you've been busy in the medical bay so I understand that you need a bit of a break. However, if you leave please reflect on what I spoke to you about regarding Sorus." Then taking Cora's hand she squeezed it gently, willing for her to understand her meaning.

Cora chuckled and brushed away the implications of the suggestion. "Andree, Sorus is a very skilled hunter who would draw the attention of many." The healer sat up and looked seriously at Andree. "He probably wants to gain as many breeders as he can this season."

Seeing the huntress sit up and cross her arms in a manner that indicated an argument over this would pursue, Cora raised her hands up in surrender and gave in. "Alright, alright. I promise to consider what you said." It would be a waste of time arguing with Andree as her headstrong friend would never backdown.

Just because her huntress friend had mated a yautja did not mean that she would have to do the same. She had to agree that Sorus was a great friend and she had even imagined what it would be like to have a husband with his qualities. However, she never really had the time to consider him as a mate. Besides looking for the xenos, her time here was solely focused on improving her skills as a healer. Perhaps if she approached Sorus and asked him, he could clear the air and she could finally tell Andree off. Cora sighed got up to unpack and prepare for a shower. At the moment she felt mentally drained and silently longed for peace and quiet away from everyone and everything.

Andree got up and headed toward the door. "I'll see you in the training room after you're done." She knew Cora well and understood that it wasn't that her friend denied her feelings for Sorus, she simply did not recognise their bond yet. Also, she was probably a little burnt out at the moment and needed time to recuperate. Her gentle natured friend would probably recognize her feelings when she was alone and undisturbed.

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K'rve was curious to see what the younger hunter had planned over the next few months. Sorus had told him that he found his lifemate in Cora, so why weren't they mated yet? Lightly tapping a lower mandible, he wondered if the warrior would continue to assist in training the young bloods with the healer still undecided about her future.

Entering the meeting room, the elder started up the device and started scanning various planets. K'rve shook his head inwardly when he glanced over at Sorus. It was obvious that the warrior did not have his focus on hunting. He had thought, with Sorus desiring only one female now, it would be easier to concentrate on the hunt instead of dwelling on mating issues. But this was clearly not the case. Turning off the device, he looked at the surprised hunter. _"You are deeply concerned about the ooman healer and cannot focus on the hunt. What will you do if she decides to leave the clan?"_

Tapping his mandibles lightly, Sorus glanced over at K'rve before casting his eyes down at the device. With the huntress staying, there was no real reason for Cora to leave. The only rationale for her leaving was if she did not want him. _"Even if I am rejected I will still remain close to her."_

Sorus had obviously not asked the young ooman to be his mate yet and he could very well run out of time. However, hearing the warrior's statement made K'rve frowned. He had anticipated Sorus tracking and following Cora if she left but...if she died the warrior would no doubt join her in death. Looking at the elite hunter the elder shook his head inwardly. Warriors with the level of skill Sorus possessed were hard to come by and he had hoped that the healer would stay alongside the warrior. They both brought much honor to the clan and it would be a great loss to lose them both. The leader clicked lightly as he studied the younger male. Even though Kal'fa was slower in acknowledging his feelings, his brother had already succeeded in mating the ooman huntress. On the other hand, Sorus had not delayed in his courting but had yet to claim the healer.

Still, in judging both oomans from their personalities, he understood Sorus' reason for delaying. Andree was much more outgoing and was obviously more open in accepting such affections. Whereas Cora, being more reserved, took time to consider things before acting on them. This had made her a skilled healer and perhaps a good trainer but it was apparently not a good attribute for mating. Knowing this Sorus must have given her ample time to ease into their harsh lifestyle before focusing on developing their relationship.

As leader he was aware of the happenings on the ship. He had observed the development in Sorus and Cora's friendship and he honestly could find no fault in the manner the warrior was taking in courting the healer. However, with mating season now on, the warrior could very well be reducing his chances with the healer.

Sighing, K'rve accepted Sorus's decision. _"Warrior, if your heart is unable to focus on the hunt then perhaps you should be spending it on the female. I do not doubt your hunting abilities but accidents can occur if your focus is not here."_ He had no intention to insult Sorus' current lack of concentration but the younger hunter needed to hear this.

K'rve took a step back and placed his hand on the warrior's shoulder. _"You have found your lifemate and you know that with her quiet character she will not be an easy one to claim. Your time is better spent on her if you have already decided to stay by her."_ Narrowing his eyes, the elder added, _"__Sorus, I hope you are aware that many experienced hunters would be keen on having the ooman healer as a mate."_

It was not his business how the warrior went about his courting but Sorus needed to let Cora know his intentions especially during breeding season. With the ooman healer's standing, K'rve was certain that several hunters would seek her for a mating. It was also obvious that Sorus would fend them off but, in doing so, many hunters would be injured or killed for nothing if Cora did not know the reason behind the fights.

Sorus took everything in as he silently listened to the advice. The elder had voiced the very concerns that plagued his mind. _"I am aware of this but I have my reasons for holding back. I will speak to Cora about this soon."_As K'rve dropped his hand, Sorus bowed low before turning to leave. Now that Cora knew what Andree wanted to do, he had no reason to hold back anymore. He could finally approach the gentle female and reveal how he felt.

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**Author's note: Next chapter - Revelation. I think many readers have been waiting a while for this chapter!**

I apologize for spelling and grammar errors in this chapter. I am going away tomorrow for a few weeks and wanted this posted before I left so I didn't do a thorough check.

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A big thank you to all the wonderful people who reviewed chapter 40. I am really sorry for not properly thanking you this time round but I was rushing to post this chapter. My flight is 12 hours away and I still have to pack!!


	42. Revelation

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

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**Chapter 42**

Revelation

With Cora showering, Andree took her time to head over to the kehrite to join her mate. Many younger hunters thrilled at her along the way but she ignored them. If Kal'fa was with her these young males would probably not shower such attention unless they wanted to end up crippled by the elder.

On reaching the training room the ooman huntress stood by the entrance and watched the two hunters on stage display their skills in a hand to hand fight. The centre of the room was packed with young bloods as well as many unfamiliar but experienced looking hunters. And all the males seem keen to have a chance on the stage to show off their skills to the massive yautja females who were scattered around the room.

From what she observed so far, the breeders seem eye the older and more experienced hunters. Andree was not surprise that very few young bloods dare to approach the aggressive females. In the past few days she had already witnessed yautja females tossing several overconfident young hunters across the training room with little effort. It was meant to be a lesson for the young bloods; they had to gain more experience and skill before they would be considered as a suitable mate. Kal'fa had also explained that even when considerable skill was displayed, the breeder would first view the warrior's trophy collection before agreeing to a mating.

This was so different from the human culture. There was no such thing as smooth talking. Yautja culture was all about getting the best genes to pass on to the next generation. It seemed that the only way a hunter would get a mate was through a show of his trophies and skills. In yautja society there was no other way of gaining a female. No male would dare force a breeder into a mating as the yautja females were well known to be deadly opponents when angered.

The huntress looked up when she heard a familiar purr and smiled at her mate as he walked over with a look of hunger in his eyes. Andree gasped when the elder pushed her up against the wall and pressed his hard body against her. Unlike the breeders who were only in heat during a particular time of the year, she learnt that hunters were not limited to mating only during breeding season. However, it was obvious that all yautja were affected by the pheromones during mating season. As Kal'fa leaned down to buried his face in her hair and took his time to inhale her scent, Andree feigned annoyance at the attention she was receiving. But when he moved to lightly trace a lower mandible down the side of her neck, she couldn't help but giggle at the ticklish sensation.

"You will not be laughing later." Kal'fa promised as he growled and pressed his throbbing member against her abdomen. His precious ooman mate was enjoying this too much. With his clawed hands on her waist, the elder purred deeply when he smelt her arousal. He was thankful that the experienced hunters had walked in the room and could supervise the young bloods so he could spend some time with Andree. Hearing someone in the distance gasp in suprise, Kal'fa looked up to see the ooman healer standing a few feet away.

Cora stood at the entrance staring at the couple for a few seconds before quickly averting her gaze. She had apparently caught them in a 'friendly' situation. "I didn't mean to walk in on the both of you like that." Still looking in another direction, she could feel her face turn red. 'Well, it wasn't as if she really walked in on them as they were in a crowded room...besides, no one else in the kehrite seem to pay the couple any mind.'

The elder chuckled at the young healer. If Cora was so easily embarassed by something so simple, he wondered how she would cope throughout the entire mating season. His attention was brought back to the present when Andree playfully tugged on his long dreadlocks. Purring softly, he clicked for her to be a little patient. He had every intention of continuing this friendly game with his mate in their private quarters.

Cora grinned at her friend as Andree whispered about catching up later on her way out. The healer chuckled as she turned to watch the elder pat Andree's bottom in a gentle love pet to make her walk a little faster to their destination.

With Andree now busy with Kal'fa, she had the whole day to herself. Cora sighed and stood by the entrance before slowly settling against the back wall to watch the fights. The air was awefully heavy and all the yautja seem more aggressive than usual but she was at least thankful that none of these fights were death matches.

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It had been awhile since Sorus left K'rve to look for Cora and it was becoming a little worrying that he had not found her after an hour of searching. The young healer had not been in her room, the dining or medical area. As Sorus walked closer to the training area he could hear excited clicking and thrilling as the hunters displayed their skills to the watching females. With the brutality of the fights especially during mating season, he never thought he would find Cora in such a place. Yet, just as he was about to pass the _kehrite_, he spotted the small form of an female ooman standing near the entrance.

Surprised that Cora was here he walked over and stood beside her. It had been late in the day when they arrived back at the training ship and the matches onstage were increasingly brutal toward the end of the day. After watching a few more hunters take their turn on the platform, Sorus lightly tapped his lower mandibles and looked over at Cora. "You enjoy watching the hunters fight?"

Briefly taking her eyes from the stage, the young woman smiled up at her warrior friend. "I still don't like fights but I guess I have learnt to appreciate the skills your race displays especially after watching you hone your skills during our little trip to the desert planet."

Adrenaline pumped in his blood as excitement enveloped his body. This was an open opportunity he could not pass up. Tapping his upper right mandible, Sorus leaned down slightly. "Would you watch if I displayed my skills on stage?"

Eyes widening in surprise, Cora's worried hazel gaze met with a pair of warm ambers eyes. "I like watching you train but-", the healer choked on her reply as she glanced at the stage. There was no way she could not stop her friend from showing his skills to court the breeders. Returning her attention to Sorus, Cora whispered softly, "Just don't get yourself killed."

Sorus chuckled softly. "Death matches are usually for hunters with mates. They sometimes need to fight to prove themselves and for the right to keep their mate." Before he came to know Cora, he would have taken her concern as an insult but he knew her well enough to understand that she was only looking out for him. The female ooman still saw him as a friend but he intended to change that after displaying his skills. Sorus leaned closer and purred softly to calm her. "It is only a display of skill. Injuries will be at a minimum."

After leaving her with words of comfort, Sorus waited for the current fight to finish before walking up to the stage. Lightly hopping up, he stood at one end and waited for a hunter of similar age and experience to take his place at the other end of the platform.

Her heart was pounding so fast it felt as if it might explode from her chest. The healer thought the fights of the younger hunters to be violent but theirs was nothing compared to the matches of the more experienced hunters. Cora clasped her hands together as the match began. Even with the loud roars drawing the attention from yautja who passed by the huge training area, the young woman was deaf to the sound as her full attention was drawn to the battle on the stage.

Never had she expected that this _jehdin_, a wrestling match without weapons, could be so brutal yet mesmerizing. Though Sorus had managed to knock his opponent off balance more than once, as the other warrior remained on the stage, the fight continued. With the deep scratches made by killing claws over the chest, back and upper limbs on both yautja, her heart ached at the sight of her friend's injuries. It was not deep or fatal in any way but the injuries suffered and loss of blood affected her nonetheless.

Even with her limited observations of physical matches, Cora could easily tell that Sorus had the upper hand. Her hunter friend had prolonged the fight by dancing around his opponent and waited for him to rise each time the other hunter lost his footing. She was no expert but it was obvious even to her that Sorus had many open opportunities to break a limb or throw the other male off the stage, yet he never took it.

It seemed that Sorus had also turned a deaf ear to the crowd. All the hunters and breeders could clearly see who the winner was and were roaring and barking enthusiastically for him to throw his opponent off but Sorus continued to circle the other male. Knowing in her heart who had already won, Cora smiled inwardly at her friend. The yautja audience obviously could not appreciate the fact that Sorus was prolonging the match to his advantage. This was a fight to display his skills to win the right to mate, so why should Sorus hurry just to meet the demands of the crowd. By extending the match her friend could display more of his skills and attract more females.

As his opponent fell again, Sorus growled and barked out, "_Hiju_!" His opponent moved with the skill of a warrior long tested in battle. However, the slightly younger male was still behind him in experience hence proving no match for him. When the other male bowed his head in submission instead of heeding his command to take a combat stance, Sorus nodded and leapt off the stage. He knew that the only way to really ease Cora's fear was to prove that he could win without difficulty. In the middle of the match, he had glanced in her direction and seeing that she was not wriggling her hands in anxiousness, he had decided to prolong the fight. It had been for her benefit. He was certain that the ooman healer could appreciate the fight more when her worry was out of the way.

With several females pushing through the crowd to get to Sorus, Cora remained at the back of the room. She felt happy for her friend. He had managed to draw so much female attention in just one match that she was sure other hunters would be extremely jealous of him. But she understood that this was the way yautja culture worked. The strongest would always win.

Catching a glimse of Sorus as he shove aside young bloods who were apparently crowding him to get advice, the young healer could not help but chuckle at the sight. Just as their eyes met briefly, she relayed her happiness and gave her friend a wide smile before a few females made their way to Sorus and blocked her view. Still smiling, Cora backed out the room and headed to the dining area. After his stunning performance, Sorus would probably have his hands full for the next few days. Maybe she could tell him of her plans to leave when he needed to take a break from the breeders.

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At the start of the late meal, majority of yautja onboard were already starting to pack the eating area. The crowd was a little more rowdy than usual but that was to be expected. Before coming back to the massive training ship, Sorus had explained that the mating musk in the ship would affect all the yautja in one way or another. Still, she was glad that no hunter had yet approach her as she would have no idea of how to reject them in a polite manner.

After filling her plate with tenderly smoked meats and the sweet ripe purplish white naxa fruit, Cora sat at a table with three other young bloods. It might have been her imagination but she felt uneasy eating with three pairs of eyes on her. These young bloods were not new additions to this ship and she hardly spoke to them in the past. They never showed any real interest in communicating with her before today but here they were, clicking softly and making soft purring sounds in her direction.

Although Cora did not often gobble down her meals, with a male she hardly knew brushing the back of his hand down the side of her thigh, she had to wolf down the food. She understood only a few words from his clicking but the hunter's actions spoke louder than his words. Quickly finishing the rest of her meal, the ooman healer stood to leave when the young blood sitting next to her wrapped his hand around her wrist.

Startled, Cora gasped and reflexively pull away. This made the young male purr soothingly before pulling her toward him. The healer braced herself as she expected to slam into his chest. However she was taken by surprise when the young blood was suddenly lifted from his seat, forcing him to release his hold on her.

Still holding up the young blood by his neck in one hand, the honored warrior roared at him before tossing him to the side of the crowded room. He had been looking for Cora after his match and witnessed the offending scene on entering the dining area. His blood was still boiling as he stood behind the healer and turned to glare at the two young hunters sitting opposite the frightened female.

As Sorus move to sit next to Cora, he flared his mandibles and growled aggressively at the youths. Though he still felt agitated with their presence, he could also sense the female's apprehension and did not wish her to be afraid. Turning to face Cora, his gaze softened. "I did not see you after my match." He had been frustrated that the ooman female did not stay to wait for him. After he stepped off stage, he had fought his way through the mob of young bloods and breeders only to watch Cora walk away. The crowd was keen to have his attention, yet he only desired the attention of one.

Everything happened so fast. One moment she was being pulled toward a young hunter and the next thing she knew Sorus was sitting next to her. Letting her head clear as she processed his question, Cora looked over the new scars; injuries from the match that were already sealed by the healing salve. "Well, I saw a crowd of yautja females around you and didn't want to disturb you." Then studying the warrior curiously, she queried. "Why aren't you with those females?"

Sorus growled at the question. He was aware that the heavy mating musk made him easily agitated which made it difficult to hold in his frustration but seeing Cora shift uncertainly at his aggressive reaction he forced himself to calm down. He needed to speak with her in private so he could reveal how he felt.

It was unsettling to hear Sorus growl over something so simple. 'Did he consider such a question offending?' During their trip he had been happy to disclose details about his life, yet here he was flaring up over such a small issue. Her hunter friend was probably touchy over this as he had most likely won over several breeders and wanted his private life kept confidential. Suddenly recalling Andree's implication of Sorus falling for her, she decided to ask him about it.

Slowly standing, Cora smiled at Sorus and leaned close. "If you have a spare moment, can we go someplace to talk." If he was not going to be spending time with the breeders yet then this would be the best time to clarify this. Moreover, as she might not be seeing much of him after this, perhaps she could also let him know of her decision to leave.

Surprised at this request Sorus nodded and stood up. He had intended to ask her to leave the room with him so this worked well for him. He just never thought she would seek him for a private meeting. This would be the perfect opportunity to speak to Cora. As he led the way out, some yautja females walked into the dining area.

With their presence in the eating area the environment seem to change. The hunters in the room were becoming increasingly aggressive as the females walked to the counter and eyed the males, obviously keeping a look out for a potential mate. Pausing a moment, Sorus waited for the entrance to clear. The older hunters were the main targets for the females and he wanted to avoid them on their way out.

Feeling Cora's light tug as she headed to the entrance, Sorus followed close behind. As they neared the corridor, a breeder blocked their path. Miyta stood before the small female ooman and nodded at her in acknowledgement before moving her gaze to the hunter behind. Being the first group to arrive she did not expect other females to already be onboard. And despite this one being ooman, it did not bother her as long as she could have her turn and bear strong offspring with the honored warrior. Miyta purred at Sorus. Then stepping forward, she offered as per their customs when numerous females seeked for the same male. _"After you and the female ooman are finished you may seek for me."_

Not wanting to offend, the warrior clicked his appreciation at the offer and bowed in respect. Before he could reply, he noticed Cora trying to discreetly slip away from him and Miyta. Reaching out, he gently grasped the young healer's shoulder to stop her. Seeing a puzzled Cora turn to look at him in question, Sorus shook his head at her before raising his gaze back to Miyta. _"I am honored to have you choose me however, I will only look to one female from now till my end."_ Sorus brought his other hand up to rest on Cora's waist in a meaningful gesture._ "And this ooman female is the only one I desire and will mate with." _

Miyta eyed Cora briefly and grunted. In the clan, this female ooman had a respectable position as a skilled healer and in the ooman world she might be considered fit but in her eyes this young ooman was too scrawny. 'How could she produce healthy sucklings with her small size?' Moreover being blooded as a healer only, the ooman was weak and would not be able to even fend for herself. All females had the responsibility to teach their pups the basics till they were old enough to join clan ships but the healer would not be able to do this. 'How then was she going to train her pups to be strong warriors?' Looking at Sorus, Miyta tapped an upper mandible and wondered aloud. _"Did you want to bed her just to experiment mating with an ooman?"_

Sorus glared at the breeder but remained silent to keep the peace. There was no point in challenging and fighting this female. Afterall, he had already anticipated that many yautja would probably not understand his decision to mate Cora and he had no intention of explaining anything to them.

Not expecting the lack of physical aggression, Miyta grunted. This hunter had indicated that the ooman healer was his lifemate, which also meant Cora would be his sole mate. Though she had just insulted Sorus by insinuating that he was only using the ooman, she was rather impressed that even after offending him in such a manner he had not move to challenge her remark. After all, any hunter foolish enough to challenge a matured breeder was only looking for death. Unlike the rash young bloods, this high ranking hunter was patient and knew how to hold his anger and she respected him for that.

Miyta narrowed her gaze as the quiet healer shifted uneasily and glanced at Sorus for reassurance. _"Though I cannot see __any sign of what you determine her strength to be, I believe this ooman female has other qualities that has drawn your attention. For one as great as you to have choosen this small female, she must be very...unique indeed.__" _

With heightened senses during this time of the year, Miyta could tell the young female had not mated this season yet. This meant Sorus was still in the middle of courting her. She was aware that this warrior was favored by several females so it was strange to see someone of his status still needing to court a female. The yautja breeder sighed and relented. _"__Perhaps I will learn more about what you see in her someday."_

The small ooman was no match for her and Miyta would have gladly issued a challenge if Sorus was only taking this female as a seasonal mate. But this was not the case. Even if she killed this ooman female, she would not be able to gain this hunter's favor so fighting her was pointless. It was a great honor to have found a lifemate and she would have liked to explain the significance of it to the young female, however she held little knowledge of the ooman tongue. Resting a clawed hand on the healer's shoulder, Miyta soften her gaze as she studied the small figure and picked a word that she hoped would fit the context of the situation. "Special."

A little surprised at this response, Sorus bowed his head to Miyta in respect of her acceptance and decided to assist the breeder in what she seeked. _"Many ships are due to arrive over the next two days and I am certain you will be able to find a strong male among them." _The female yautja nodded her head in thanks for the information then walked past them into the dining area.

"Is everything alright?" Cora glanced up at Sorus. The oddity of situation had filled her with questions. She was almost certain that the breeder wanted her friend as a mate...but perhaps she was mistaken?

Sensing her confusion, Sorus simply nodded; he would explain this when they were alone. As they started down the corridor, he moved to walk beside his quiet companion and ignored the attention some of the passing yautja females directed toward him. It was a relieve to leave the rowdy eating area.

While walking in silence, the warrior wondered why the young healer wanted time alone with him. With the way Cora had asked him to go somewhere to talk, she obviously had something on her mind. Sorus glanced at her and clicked lightly. Maybe after he found out what her concerns were he would finally be able to let out his own. Moving ahead slightly, Sorus grasped her shoulder to lead her to his room to get some privacy. The location wasn't exactly appropriate as Cora had not agreed to be his mate yet but for what he was about to expose to her he deemed it suitable.

On entering his room, Sorus tapped his upper right mandible in thought as he watch Cora leisurely explore the room and look at some of his trophies on the side wall. He could feel his heart pounding as he closed the door. How long has it been since he felt this nervous? Hiding his underlying emotions with practiced calmness, the warrior walked over to gentle female and clicked softly to get her attention.

Keeping his voice calm, Sorus spoke softly, "Was there something you wanted to ask me?" When Cora hesitated to answer, he wondered why _she_ was nervous.

Not knowing how to approach the issue that Andree brought up, Cora decided to tell him about her plans for the future first. "Well...I spoke to Andree and decided that I want to leave the clan and head to a planet called Taliona. And I was hoping that you could drop me off." Seeing Sorus spread his mandibles in surprise, she quickly added, "I know it is mating season so I don't mind if we leave after all this is over." Then smiling warmly at the warrior, she continued softly, "Besides, I know how worried you were about this breeding season and I don't want you to miss out."

When her friend looked to the ground, seemingly to process what she just told him, Cora turned to continue admiring his trophies. His stunned expression was not something she had expected but it was nice to know he cared about her to be surprised at her decision to part from the clan.

Aware that Sorus moved closer to her after awhile but remained silent, the healer assumed he was still digesting the information of her departure. Leaving him to his thoughts, Cora studied the trophy before her and lightly traced the length of the horn of a dangerous looking herbivour with the tip of her finger. "This one's quite beautiful." Standing before the skull of a great horned beast, the young woman smiled inwardly. It must have taken a lot of effort to polish the massive skull before adding a special coating to prevent it from drying and decomposing. Though it had taken time for her to understand their culture, at least now she could somewhat begin to appreciate the huge variety on his wall.

"Yes, it is." Glad that Cora wore the clothing he'd given, Sorus tenderly brushed her exposed back with the back of his hand. This time he was not going to let anything throw him off. Though the news of her leaving was disturbing, he was not going to let it get in the way.

The healer shivered at the contact and turned to see Sorus standing awfully close, looking down at her instead of the trophy. Unable to bear the intense amber gaze on her, she cast her eyes down and took a small step away. Then suddenly recalling the breeder who had blocked their path, Cora asked in a slow but careful tone, "Sorus, why did that breeder block our path? And what did she mean by...special?"

Sorus raised a talon tipped finger to stroke her cheek lightly before resting his clawed hand on her shoulder. He could tell Cora was lightly blushing as she looked away and her face warmed with the slight rise of temperature. She was so innocent she made it hard for him to control his carnal urges. "That female, Miyta, chose me as a mate for this season but I declined the offer."

As Cora processed his words and reflected on the times Sorus was so anxious about this breeding season, she came to the conclusion that her friend must be on the look out for someone else. Slowly bringing her hand up to the side of his mandibles, she traced a finger on a lower mandible that was tapping in a nervous motion. As her hazel gaze met his deep ambers, she smiled softly. "Were you looking to gain the attention of another female instead?"

Silently pleading that Cora might see the deep longing in his eyes, Sorus grasped her shoulder lightly before moving closer. "Yes, I desire another."

When the words sunk in, realization of his actions toward her over the past months hit home. As if burnt, Cora reflexively removed her hand from his face and broke eye contact. Shifting to step away, she felt Sorus tighten his grip to hold her in place. Not bothering to struggle, the young woman turned her face away and sighed as she crossed her arms.

All this time she remained blinded to the fact that he was courting her. His protective behavior, the deep interest he held in her personal life, the gentleness of his actions; all this with the intention to draw her attention and she had completely missed it, perhaps denied it even with Andree's prompting.

With the obvious change in her stance and scent, Sorus blinked once before softly conveying what he sensed. "You are upset and...angry."

Still looking away, Cora closed her eyes momentarily. "Yes, I am but with myself not you." She had failed to notice why he treated her the way he did and thought it was just his way of making friends. Now knowing his intention, she could feel her heart pounding and didn't know if this reaction was a result of fear or nervousness. Perhaps it was both. She was frightened of this new experience and didn't know how to respond. Feeling his clawed hands move to rest on her waist, Cora shuddered at the contact.

Sensing her uncertainty, Sorus worked to ease her fears. "You are more to me than just a female to fulfil a male's lustful wants for a season of breeding. Miyta said you are special because I wanted to share a life bond with you." As he gently tugged her over to him, Sorus purred softly when he felt her grasp his forearms for support as she trembled from their close proximity. He was glad that the soothing sound from his purring seem to calm her but he could tell Cora was still uneasy as she was still afraid to look at him.

The gentle healer seemed to be working things out and was still undecided. However, it did not take long for him to notice her current concern as she glanced over at his bed and tried to discreetly wriggle from his hold. Though Sorus had made no move to the sleeping platform the cause of her nervousness was clear. His revelation had apparently thrown her off balance. Furthermore, having proposed to Cora in his room was the first step to an intimacy she was obviously not prepared for. The young female was most likely too frightened now about losing her virginity to think straight. Not that he could blame her, afterall, she was still innocent to the touch of a male.

Quick to address her concern and ease her lingering fears of physical contact, Sorus rattled softly. "If you choose to be my mate, we do not have to be active in anything physical if you are not ready."

Still coming to terms with this revelation, Cora felt uneasy in her current position. To her, being invited to his room to hear his confession during the yautja mating season meant that her friend was simply responding to his instincts. However, Sorus had cleared the air in an instant when she assumed he was just looking to bed her, and had shocked her by his seemingly brash declaration. With the heavy mating musk filling the ship, she knew it would be torturous for a prime yautja male like Sorus to push away his instincts to mate. 'How could he give up mating this season just like that? And how could I mean so much to him in such a short time?'

The young healer carefully studied his seemingly calm expression. 'How could Sorus appear so calm when she felt the turbulence of the situation?' Still gazing at his calm appearance Cora noticed the slight twitching of his upper mandibles; the small movement betrayed his anxiety. The young woman frowned. "Sorus, I can imagine the urge you feel during breeding season, and I think you know me well enough to gauge my reaction to your proposal." Then slowly releasing her hold on his forearms and cocooning herself in her arms as if to protect herself, Cora looked down and continued softly, her voice barely a whisper. "So did you announce your willingness to abstain from physical intimacy just so I would agree to be your mate?"

"No." Sorus grunted at her question. "I am aware of your unease of males and I will not pressure you into mating if you are not comfortable." It was obvious that she was still frightened and he needed Cora to understand that no matter how much he wanted her he had no intention to rush her.

Against all odds, the young healer could not deny that he knew her well enough to be so intuned with her fears. Having someone understand her so deeply had brought feelings of excitement as well as a strange sense of comfort. And despite the instinctive feeling that this yautja might be the one for her, she could not rely on pure emotions in the present situation to base her decision.

Before his revelation, the young woman never even considered being mated to either Sorus or any yautja. It just never crossed her mind. It simply wouldn't be fair on him if she gave him an answer now only to regret her decision later. Moreover, even if she considered Sorus as a mate, he was probably right about her fears about being too intimate. So if she said yes to him, wouldn't other hunters look down on him for not being able to bed the female he was mated to? 'Did he not care about how others might view him?'

Pushing her feelings aside and letting logic process the situation, Cora sadly shook her head at Sorus. "I enjoyed cozing up to you but I only thought of you as a close friend. And I'm really sorry for giving you mixed messages in responding to you the way I did."

With that said the young woman took a small step back, letting his hands fall away. "We can't be together. We are...too different. You are a hunter and I prefer protecting life, the very nature of what we do will forever clash."

Her heart was still racing when she looked up at Sorus. It hurt to see the torn look in his deep ambers. Cora hoped that her friend would understand why a bond between them was not possible. For one, in her current state of shock and confusion, she did not know if she had such feelings for him. And even if she did, she just couldn't envision a relationship between them as one filled with happiness in the long run. As hunting was a part of his life she could not expect him to give it up, and it would break her to give up her love to protect endangered species.

Not wanting this painful moment to drag on, the gentle healer continued in a softer tone, "I am truly sorry for wasting your time Sorus and...I am honored that you want me as your lifemate." She reached for his clawed hand and wrapped it in her small hands. "But I hope we can stay friends." Then squeezing it gently before letting go, the healer tried to avoid his gaze as she slowly stepped away. "And please do not worry yourself with sending me off, I'll speak to Elder K'rve and have someone else send me." She already wasted enough of his time and it would not do for her to distract him anymore.

Something broke in him when he heard her words and it brought a despair that numbed his mind. As Sorus watched Cora move away from him, a single thought echoed deep in his heart and he could not deny the truth of it. 'He would never meet another like her.' He could not let her leave just like that and let emptiness take hold of him again. He had been lost in a void for far too long.

Strange as it sound, the warrior found their friendship more valuable than his reputation and rank. His current status was gained through centuries of tedious training and hard work, yet all he had did not hold a candle to her. A half year had past since he had gotten to know her and to oomans it may seem long but not for yautja. And this female ooman had amazingly become someone so precious to him in so short a time. In giving her friendship, Cora offered him light in his internal darkness and he could not risk losing this female for her moment of indecision.

As Cora turned to move toward the door, Sorus gently grasp her upper arm to stop her. "Have our encounters really been so bad that you would not allow me to personally send you off?"

Reluctant to turn around to face her hunter friend, Cora brought her hand up to rest over the massive talon latched onto her arm. "I would honestly have liked for you to see me off but I do not want to risk giving you anymore mixed signals."

With her words clearly indicating the care she held for him, Sorus ignored her surprise gasp as he tightened his hold and pulled the young ooman back into his chest. To prevent her from shifting away, he wrapped his other arm around her shoulders and lightly rested his chin on top of her head. As Cora sighed and slumped back, he could feel the frantic pounding of her heart with her back resting snug against him.

Even with the slight tension radiating from her, Sorus felt a deep contentment when the gentle female remained still in his arms. This was prove enough for him that despite her verbal non-acceptance, Cora was able to somewhat sense the strong bond between them. Lightly running a lower mandible through her soft fine hair, he released her arm and slowly moved down to enclose her hand in his. "Will you not consider me to be your mate?"

His sudden actions sent a rush of adrenaline through her system, however neither fight nor flight were options while encased in his strong arms. With his warm muscled chest pressed against her back it became a real struggle to focus on his question when Cora felt the soothing vibrations from his soft purring travel through her body. When she trembled involuntarily from the sensation, she felt his clawed hand tenderly move to intertwine his fingers with hers as if to lend her support. Taking in slow shallow breaths, Cora attempted to calm her shaky and emotional voice. "Sorus...please let me go. We just can't-"

Sorus gently cut her off as he felt her increasing unease. "Calm your heart before you give your answer." It was not a demand but rather a simple request. A desperate plea to give the bond between them a chance.

Not fully understanding why an elite like Sorus wanted such a relationship with her, the young woman sighed at his persistance and decided to him have his way. Taking slow deep breaths to quiet her nerves, Cora, after standing in silence for what seemed like several hours, gradually relaxed. Easing the tension from her pounding heart had been easy enough but trying to settle the torrent of buzzing thoughts was something on a whole other level.

After leaving Aldetifia with Andree, she was suppose to have time off from work but she never got it. Moreover, since joining the yautja clan, she had been busier than ever. Slowly leaning the side of her head against the strong chest behind her, Cora closed her eyes. She already felt both physically and mentally drained. Now that she finally planned to take her well deserved break, Sorus had rocked her world with his confession and this was draining her emotionally.

The young healer sighed inwardly as thoughts to unwind in the peaceful reserve on Taliona began to slip away. Clearing her head, Cora brought her focus back to the current situation. It was true that she felt comfortable and at ease with him but she was honestly too tired to sort out her feelings for him at the moment. 'Was there a way to leave the clan without hurting Sorus?' As her thoughts kept drifting back to her holiday destination Cora inwardly growled at herself. With the way he was holding her it did not seem as if Sorus was going to let her go so easily. 'Maybe I should try and figure out what drew this skillful hunter to me in the first place.'

For the first time, Cora reflected on Sorus' intentions for docking with the training ship. When she and Andree first joined the clan, he had told them that he was an honored classed warrior who preferred hunting alone. So why was he training young bloods? Tilting her head up, Cora glanced to see the hunter's gaze fixed on her. He was a seasoned warrior yet his deep ambers held a softness that spoke of his gentleness for her. The look was truly endearing and she felt guilty at the thought of rejecting him.

Still, Cora had agreed to think this through before making her decision and, right now she needed to understand his reason for being here. Breathing in deeply she whispered her question to determine if her assumption was right. "Why did you come onboard this training vessel? Were you seeking the company of others?" She did not usually pry into the private lives of others but this time she had to know.

Sorus closed his eyes as he considered her question. It had been a long time since he first felt a deep sense of dissatisfaction in his life which had brought on a state of constant restlessness in his being. This had ultimately driven him to give up his solo hunting and finally join with the training ship so he could discuss his problem with the clan elders. However, nothing seem to help till they landed on the planet the oomans named Bolva.

Not wanting to confuse the young healer with details, Sorus went straight to the point. "I felt lost for a long time and decided to dock with this vessel." Breaking eye contact he turned to face the trophy wall, a lost look in his eyes as he studied the kills that were proudly mounted on display. "Even with the elders assisting my situation, I did not know what I was seeking for until I met you." Blinking slowly, the warrior brought his gaze back to the gentle female before him. It wasn't the loneliness of hunting alone that had led him to choosing her but in the quietness of his solitary hunts he had come to understand that something was missing in his life.

It was touching to hear about his personal journey and how it drew him to her. And though Cora could appreciate his feelings for her, she honestly did not know if she felt the same. At the moment, she was tired after a long day and was scared of being in this unfamiliar situation. Shifting in his hold, the young woman let her eyes wander the spacious room before letting her gaze rest on the main door. Thoughts of leaving were still lingering at the back of her mind. Slowly raising her free hand, Cora rested it on the arm wrapped around her shoulders to offer some comfort. "I am sorry that you felt alone for so long."

Running his lower mandibles over the top of her head in a gentle motion, Sorus closed his eyes as he reveled in the softness of her fine hair. "I will not be alone again," leaning down, the hunter brushed a mandible over the shell of her ear and rattled softly, "because I have found you. My other half." With deliberate slowness the warrior eased his clawed hands down Cora's slender arms to rest on her waist and held her to him. He longed for a life bond with the gentle healer. To experience the long years and share his life with her.

Cora shivered from the way Sorus held her; his tender actions had sent her heart racing again. But this time she knew from the furious pounding of his strong heart against her back that he was just as nervous as her. He was probably afraid she was going to reject him and though she was frightened herself, she didn't want to hurt him. Twisting in his hold, she briefly glanced up to study the hope held in the warm amber eyes and brought her hands down to rest on the clawed hands still holding onto her waist.

The healer had decided her next course of action. She knew her next words might hurt Sorus but she needed peace and quiet to have true clarity of mind. Cora lightly grasped his wrists and spoke softly, "I need time to consider all this and I still want to go to Taliona for a while. I will be able to think more clearly when I am alone there."

It did not make sense for Cora to travel so far from the clan and away from him if she was still considering him as a mate. 'Was this the way ooman females rejected a courting male?' Perhaps she did not approve of him yet as he had not proven himself in her eyes. Pulling back, Sorus tapped his upper right mandible and look at her a moment before bowing his head. "How can I prove myself?"

A little surprised, Cora shook her head. "You don't have to prove yourself to me." As Sorus looked up, she smiled warmly. "I just want some time on my own to think about this."

Inwardly, the young woman sighed at his reaction. Even with his attempts to hide his disappointment in the stillness of his mandibles, the great sadness was evident in his amber gaze. Slowly raising her hand to rest on the side of his face, Cora gently trace a finger over his upper right mandible. "Sorus, please understand that all this is new to me and I need time to sort out my feelings." She hoped that he would understand. Despite being able to calm her heart, there was no way to clear the flood of thoughts and overflow of emotions in a span of a few minutes.

Sorus nodded in acceptance of her decision. As much as he preferred to have her close, he understood her desire to get away. Afterall, he had given her a great deal to consider in a very short time. With her thumb still resting on his mandible, the hunter leaned into her hand and sighed. "Could you not stay here while you consider this?" When Cora slowly nodded after awhile he clicked softly in appreciation. He did not think she would return to the clan after leaving. At least now he had some hope.

The young woman then added, "I will stay another three weeks." There was no point in dragging this any longer since it was obvious that Sorus was not going to let her depart so easily. In agreeing to remain a few short weeks she hoped that her friend might also be attracted to someone else. She had already been honest with Sorus. There was little chance of sorting this out while she was onboard but this hunter was so insistent on her staying. Looking to the ground, Cora crossed her arms and sighed deeply. 'Could he not see how worn out she was?'

As if reading her thoughts, Sorus rested his clawed hand on her shoulder. "Rest, you look tired." Just as the warrior was about to steer her toward the bed, he was surprised when Cora automatically headed to the door. 'Why was she leaving for her room when she was considering him as mate? Was she afraid to sleep with him?' It made no sense since she slept beside him while on his ship. Not wanting to push her into anymore decisions tonight, he decided to let it go.

Her feet dragged as she walked over to the door. Before opening it, Cora glanced back at her friend and smiled. "I think I can walk back alone."

The warrior shook his head and stood beside her. "Stay the night or I will walk back with you." A dull thump and distant roars was heard a moment later as if to prove his point. There were fights along the corridor outside. This level was occupied by the more experienced hunters so fights were not uncommon especially after the late meal.

Too tired to argue, Cora reluctantly agreed. She knew that if Sorus walked her back then younger hunters would probably suffer injuries along the way and this was not something she wanted. Turning to see his amber gaze on her, the young female laid down the rules. "Please don't make any advancements if I stay here tonight." When Sorus nodded and lowered the temperature before heading to the bathroom to wash down, Cora walked over to the bed.

'This sleeping platform is huge!' With this size, it could probably fit three full grown yautja in it. As her head started to pound, indicating the onset of a headache, Cora casually picked out two pelts from the pile of furs on the bed. Laying out the thicker one on the ground as a makeshift mattress, she settled down on it before covering herself using the second pelt.

Moments after the young healer settled, she glanced up when Sorus walked back into the room. The soft growl did not go unheard as he made his way to her and Cora could tell he was not pleased with this move. Keeping her gaze on him, she lightly patted the soft furs. "I'll be alright here." Seeing his eyes narrow as he knelt down beside her, she smiled softly at him. "Besides, it would be inappropriate if I laid in your bed as we are n-."

The warrior grunted and picked her up along with the furs to lay on the sleeping platform. "I am courting you as a mate so you will not sleep on the floor."

Cora slowly rose. "But-"

Her protest was stopped mid sentence when Sorus lightly grasped her shoulder to stop her from getting up. "Stay here." Gently nudging the ooman female back into bed, Sorus smiled at her compliance. The young healer was much easier to deal with when tired. After she had tucked herself in the furs, the warrior tapped his mandibles lightly as she looked up and held his gaze. The gentle female seemed so vulnerable lying there, it was almost as if she were waiting for the right hunter to claim her. Leaning down, he pressed his forehead to hers and purred deeply. "Rest."

Pulling away after awhile, Sorus moved to slip in on the other side and checked the temperature using the panel above the bed. When he notice the small form shifting to the edge, a move that clearly indicated her unease, he spoke softly to comfort her. "I will not make any advancements." With his body still reacting to the heavy mating musk, it would be difficult not to touch her in any way but he would do his best.

Looking over at Sorus briefly as she acknowledged his words, Cora gaze with sleepily eyes at the ceiling. She had surprised herself in agreeing to stay the night. 'What in the world possessed me to comply so easily?' As the cool change in the room began to pull on her weariness, her thoughts drifted. Rolling to her side, Cora glanced up at the panel and sleepily wondered aloud. "How cold will the room get if the temperature control is switched off?"

This ooman female was truly amusing. Even on the brink of sleeping her mind was still so active. "I do not know." Curious to see if she would respond, Sorus questioned. "Would you like to try turning it off?" When Cora moved to grab another blanket to cover herself, the hunter chuckled softly. Slipping out of bed, he walked to the storage wall to put on his mesh suit before returning to the bed and turning off the temperature control and lights.

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Sleep had claimed them both for a few hours and the room was now close to freezing point with the temperature monitoring system turned off. With his mesh suit on and being buried under a stack of furs, Sorus was not affected much by the change. The unexpected feel of a warm body pressing against him in the middle of the night stirred him from his slumber and he was surprised to find the still sleeping female trying to snuggle closer to share the warmth.

With her rules of physical contact still fresh in his mind, the warrior shifted back to avoid touching her. Sorus slept lightly, keeping tabs on her movements and inching away a little at a time to refrain from coming into contact with the tempting soft form in his bed. However, after a half hour, the warrior found himself at the edge of the bed. Spreading his mandibles slightly, he purred deeply as he took in the soothing scent before him. This time he remained where he was, after all, he technically had nowhere to move to. When Cora pressed up against him and forcefully pulled his arm over her, he could not bear to push the soothing scent away from him. Perhaps he could reason with her later; besides, she was the one making the contact.

A short while later, Cora woke to find herself in an awkward position. She was lying almost face down on the bed with a comfortable warmth on her back. Noticing for the first time that the 'item' on her back was radiating heat and that she had her arms wrapped around a thick forearm, the young woman pushed Sorus off her and sat up, enraged. She was about to shout at him when she noticed that they were on _his _end of the bed!

It didn't take a genius to figure out how and why she was in that position. Embarrassed, Cora moved to get out of bed when the freezing cold caused her to sneeze several times and halt her movements. Suddenly feeling a thick forearm wrap around her waist, the young woman gasp as she was pulled her down under the covers and pressed against a warm muscled chest.

Sorus could hear her blunt ooman teeth chattering due to the cold and, at the moment, he was more than contented for them to remain like this. He had prevented Cora from turning to face him as he held her firmly to him but feeling gentle tapping of her fingers on his forearm, he looked down with half closed eyes. "This is not an advancement. I am only keeping you warm."

Amused at the defensiveness of his actions, Cora could not help but chuckle. "I..I c..ccan ss..stay warrrmm usssing tt..tthe f..furs on theee o..ootthheeer s...sside of theee b..bbed." It was difficult to sound confident when she was freezing and the chattering of her teeth wasn't helping the situation.

"It is cold over there." Even though he did not like the cold, if he could keep the ooman female with him for a moment longer by remaining like this, he would not mind.

Not able to budge from him, Cora extended a shaky arm up to feel for the temperature controls in the darkness when the massive form behind her shifted to tug her arm under the furs. Still shivering she decided to stay snugged up against him. As she soaked up the warmth Sorus offered, she jabbed her elbow in his abdomen and mumbled. "Ss..sstubbbbborn mmmaale."

The warrior chuckled softly and raised his free arm to the control panel. He would warm up his room but keep it cool enough to her liking. As her body gradually warmed and her breathing slowed, Sorus could tell that Cora had fallen back to sleep. While it was comforting to have her stay in his chambers for the night, he knew she would leave when the new day started. Lightly tapping his upper right mandible, he hoped that the three weeks would past quickly. It would be difficult to leave her completely alone for that entire duration but perhaps the healer would not mind if he hid his presence and stayed close by.

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It had just been over two weeks since he proposed and during that time Sorus had kept his distance and watched the female ooman healer from afar. Cora had taken a little while to adjust to this season of mating but seemed to handle herself well in rejecting the inexperienced hunters. It was obvious that she tried her best to stay away from the courting hunters but such could not be avoided in her duties. And young bloods seem to flock to her with the assumption that she would 'attend' to their needs just because she treated their wounds.

Being the youngest healer onboard, Cora should have been approached the least when treating the wounded. However being a _female_ healer, it had played a major role in drawing hunters of all ranks to her when they got injured from fights. It had been difficult for him to watch as they made their advances and Sorus could not help but fight off and severely injure a few hunters who tried to lure the innocent female to their rooms after she tended their injuries.

Cora had been furious with him but the elite hunter decided that he would rather suffer her anger than to give another male a chance with her. However, after the most recent brutal fight in the medical bay, Sorus tried not to upset her again. He had stood at the entrance while the angry healer treated his opponent's open wounds and fractures in a tense silence. And when she had later brushed past him on the way out without any sign of acknowledgement, it had hurt him more than any physical wound he suffered.

When Sorus met Andree and told her of the incidents, she had smiled and explained that Cora was probably angry over the breaking of his promise to give her space to think alone and not over the hunters sustaining injuries. Standing in a corner of the almost empty _kehrite_, he reflected on the huntress' words as he watched the young healer linger around the hunters that recently boarded.

The elite warrior narrowed his eyes as an unfamiliar hunter approached Cora and attempted to converse with her in the ooman tongue. The younger hunter's body language clearly spoke of his motive and seeing the male's clawed hand move from the healer's shoulder to her forearm in a highly suggestive manner, Sorus roared his challenge. 'How dare this new comer touch and enjoy her body? How dare he receive her attention?' As the smaller hunter turned to him and roared before charging, Sorus, being the more experienced of the two, easily sidestepped the younger male and knocked him to the ground.

Surprise turned to anger as Cora watched Sorus beat the new hunter she just met. Her new found friend had been easy to get along with and was about to show her a few self-defense moves when they were rudely disrupted. She quickly walked over to Dtra to assist him when he slowly got up from the ground. Hearing Sorus growl at her actions, she turned and scowled at him. However, when Dtra moved away from her and bowed submissively to Sorus before leaving the area, she stood there puzzled.

Facing Sorus after her new friend left, Cora crossed her arms. "Why did you attack him like that? He was just showing me some moves."

The warrior grunted at her ignorance. "He only wanted to mate with you."

When Sorus gave Cora a look that dared her to defy his reasoning, she fumed. Even if that were the truth, she could have declined a mating with Dtra and still kept him as a friend. Glowering at the male before her, she turned to leave. But refusing to settle with defeat, she glanced back briefly and snapped, "You also want me as a mate, so doesn't that make your wants the same as his?"

Swiftly moving forward and grasping onto the young woman's shoulder, Sorus growled and spun her around to face him. He needed to make her understand his actions now as this scenario could very well be repeated if other males approached her. "As a courting male I have to challenge other hunters for the right to be with you."

Cora took a step back from Sorus and slowly shook her head. He obviously did not understand her intentions in meeting other hunters. "Befriending other hunters does not mean that I will agree to mate with them." Then sighing, she calmed a little before softening her tone, "Sorus, I asked for you to give me space so I can think about our relationship but I can't do this if you keep tailing me."

As the ooman female turned to leave the room, the warrior stood there with his head bowed down and staring at the empty space she was standing in a moment ago. It felt as if she was slipping from him. Feeling lost, Sorus closed his clawed hand into a fist and closed his briefly eyes. Taking time to consider him as a mate was an ooman custom and it was one that he wasn't sure would work in his favor.

Looking up, the warrior was surprised to see the young healer standing at the entrance waiting for him. Slowly walking over to her, he clicked lightly. "I thought you wanted time alone."

Softly smiling at his puzzled expression, Cora nodded. "Yes, I do. However, I don't plan to leave you alone and in such an unsettled state." She knew it was hard on Sorus to keep his distance with other hunters milling about her and she understood his frustration. Hearing footfalls approach the training area, she looked down the corridor before turning back to him. "Can we go somewhere private?"

The warrior nodded and turned to lead the way. Moving to the upper decks, he brought her to the map room. With Cora following close behind, the hunter walked to the viewing port at the back of the room. It seemed a lifetime ago since they last came here. Sorus clicked lightly when the young healer moved to stand beside him and gazed out at the stars in silence. He felt at peace again; it felt good to spend time alone with her.

Aware that Cora was tired from standing most of the day in the _kehrite_ and medical bay, he rested a clawed hand on her shoulder. "Sit with me."

With Sorus standing beside her, waiting for her to sit first, the quiet healer turned from the view port to looked over at him. "Its alright, I prefer to stand for now." Though she had every intention to stay awhile to help ease the tension of the fight earlier, she did not want to be in a position that was too comfortable.

Cora was taken aback when Sorus growl softly at her response. Her eyes widened and she took a nervous step back as the yaujta moved forward, his deep ambers glowing with want. The warrior before her was following her movements like a predator; one that was slowly stalking its prey. As the massive form closed the distance between them and loomed over her, she saw the mischievousness in the deep amber gaze and gasped when the warrior suddenly lunged forward.

Not fazed by her stubborness, Sorus stalked over to the nervous female, adding a thrill of danger to the encounter. Being careful of his strength and claws, the hunter playfully tackled her to the ground. Ensuring that her head lay against his forearm as he brought her down, the warrior was taken by surprise at the sound of her light laughter when he nudged her side. Still gazing at the wriggling form beneath him, the victor smiled at the discovery of this 'weakness'. In prodding the 'weak' point a little more, he enjoyed the result of his actions. Bringing Cora into a laughing fit, the warrior added a mixture of soft playful growls and purrs in the mix.

Sorus felt her small hands hold onto his to stop his 'torture' after a while and chuckled in amusement at her fruitless attempts to stop him. However, knowing he had an unfair advantage over her, he ceased his playful assault. As Cora slowed her breathing and calmed, he leaned down to tenderly nuzzle against her neck. She seemed much more relax after a bout of laughter. When she moved, he kept his forearm around her slender waist but followed her lead and shifted to lay on his side so they both faced the viewing port.

It had been a long while since they really talked so he decided to break the silence. "I will give you the space you asked for so you can properly consider our bond."

Tilting her head back, Cora made a sound of acknowledgement. Lately, she had been so busy in the medical bay that she did not have much time to herself nor have the time or energy to consider his proposal. And while it was true that she wanted time alone and had been annoyed at being followed, she had also missed Sorus' company. There were only a few days left before she needed to give him an answer and she dreaded that moment. She was not ready to move forward yet and the only thing on her mind was the desire for peace and quiet in solitude.

As she shifted to remove the heavy forearm to get up, the young woman was surprised when she was gently pushed down onto her back. The massive form hovering over her prevented her from moving away. Apparently Sorus also missed time spent with her and was not ready for her to leave. Curious to see what the hunter would do, Cora smiled when he spread his mandibles to take in her scent. 'Was that what he missed the most after not being with me for two weeks?'

Unknown to the soft form lying beside him, the seasoned warrior could smell the build up of her pheromones. The ooman female would soon come into heat. At least this explained why she was so easily irritable. As he studied her scent, Sorus noticed her watching him intently; probably assuming he was still 'playing' around. If she did not mind his advances now then he would cherish this time with her.

Mindful of his claws, he eased his clawed hand down and slowly traced her leg. Tenderly caressing the soft smooth flesh of her calf, he slowly moved up to the sensitive underside of her knee. All the while he kept his gaze on her, watching her facial expression and listening closely as her breaths became short and irregular. When his clawed hand touched her bare thigh, her scent spiked and his senses were flooded with her arousal.

For a second, Cora closed her eyes to lose herself in the moment. The feel of his clawed hand smoothly sliding up her side and resting on her lower abdomen caused her to shiver at his touch. She had planned to depart when the three weeks were up but Sorus was making it awfully difficult for her to leave _him_. When she next opened her eyes to see a pair of intense heated ambers leaning in close to her, the young woman felt her heart race as a warm flush spread rapidly through her body. Consciously responding to his advances for the first time, she reached up and tangled a hand in his dreadlocks.

Obviously pleased with her response, Cora felt his deep purring as Sorus lean over her. When he moved down to her shoulder and gave it a light nip with his inner teeth, her breath caught. His actions were a mix between playful and intimate and it was causing her body to tingle. As his mandibles tenderly traced the side of her neck, she held his head against her and whispered his name breathlessly.

His name on her soft ooman lips sent a shiver of desire through his body. "You like that." His breathing was becoming erratic as well and he needed to remain calm.

With the air heavy with her intoxicating scent, Sorus wanted nothing more than to tangle his limbs with hers till she lay breathless and exhausted from their joining. Nothing had prepared him for this intimate yet non-sexual experience. His past sexual encounters were hard and rough sex with breeders who were as dangerous as they were beautiful, but this gentle ooman beneath him was so different. She was so soft and delicate. Her skin was so thin that he had to take extra care not to hurt her with his claws. Her ripening beckoned him to lose himself in her soft heat yet he could not till Cora agreed to a mating.

Laying still, he purred softly as the young female came down from her high. When they both calmed, he rose from her to meet her gentle hazel gaze and sighed. "More hunters may pursue you in the coming week."

Still feeling the adrenaline lingering in her system, Cora squeaked out, "H-how do you know?"

"I can smell the beginnings of your body coming into heat." Seeing the stunned look on her face, Sorus chuckled. "Only senior hunters like myself or the elders can smell females when they come into heat so you do not have to worry about the violent young bloods coming after you."

Cora frowned at the thought of several stubborn seasoned males trying to court her. Raising her eyes to meet his gentle ambers, she sighed. "You know, telling me of advancing males isn't exactly going to help the situation." Knowledge of this had certainly brought discomfort but she was thankful that Sorus had informed her. Moving to stand, she was barely aware that he mirrored her actions.

Sorus tapped his upper right mandible in thought and rested his hand on her shoulder. "If you are bothered by this, would you like me to remain close to you?"

Placing her hand over his, Cora shook her head. "I'll be alright on my own." As she walked to the door, she smiled when the warrior took his place beside her. The walk back to her room was silent, leaving her to dwell on her thoughts. She knew Sorus was patiently waiting for her answer after these three weeks and she didn't know how to tell him that she just wasn't ready. After his proposal, she had thought about Andree. Unlike her good friend, she never had a real relationship with a male of her own species and could not help but wonder what it would be like. 'Perhaps he would back down if I told him my thoughts.'

When they got to her room, Cora typed in the code and stood by the door. She had to let Sorus know her thoughts so he would not waste his time waiting for her answer when there were other females showing an interest in him. It was not going to be easy for him to hear this especially after they had just spent quality time together but she hoped he would listen.

"Sorus, do you remember the colleague I told you about while in your ship?" Seeing the hunter tense, Cora looked down and bit her lower lip but forced herself to continue, "I haven't had the chance to be in a relationship with him or any other human male so right now I really don't know what I want."

Easing his clawed hand to her chin, Sorus raised her gaze to meet his. It pained him to hear this but he could not refute her reasoning. "Did you want to be with an ooman male so you can compare us?"

Her heart clench in pain when she saw the indescribable sadness in his amber eyes. Reaching up, Cora took his clawed hand from her chin and wrapped it in her hands. "That is not what I meant. What I mean to say is, if another female catches your eye while I am still thinking then please don't wait for me. It is silly to wait especially when there is a chance that I might not be your mate."

It was clear to him that Cora's mind was still clouded with doubts after so many days of thinking. This experience was new for her just as it was for him hence he understood her fear of making the wrong decision. These fears proved that she was putting much thought into the matter and he was grateful for that. When her hand released his, he moved to trace the blooded mark on her neck. "There is no need for you to rush yourself for an answer. If you have not made up your mind and decide to leave for an ooman planet, I was continue to wait for your answer. "

Not wanting to start an argument, Cora sighed inwardly and simply nodded. She couldn't tell him that besides using these weeks to think about their relationship, she was also hoping that a breeder would catch his eye. It was not meant solely for her to consider him; it was suppose to be for Sorus to think things through too. Unfortunately, it seemed that the warrior had narrowed his choices down to just her.

Turning to leave, Sorus thought about the prominent problem of her coming into season. He knew Cora trusted him and had expected her to seek his protection especially after learning that seasoned hunters would soon be courting her, however, she proved him wrong. Unlike regular female oomans in heat, Cora's scent when in heat would have altered because of the yautja blood in her system. 'How was she going to manage on her own?' Even Andree, after being told that her scent was overwhelming, had convinced Kal'fa to let her stay in the room during her recent heat as she did not want a death match over her.

"Will you stay in your room during your heat?"

Cora considered the question in silence before slowly shaking her head. "I don't think I can confine myself in such a small space for so long." She was sure Tofvi and Hrael would not mind covering the medical bay while she was in season but she had to find a way to hide away from all the hunters including Sorus. She had promised to take time out to think and this was the perfect opportunity to do it.

"Don't worry, I will stay away from all the hunters during my heat." Cora smiled warmly at him. "And I don't want you to fight others because of me."

The warrior frowned, this 'staying away solution' solved nothing. Even if Cora tried to stay away, the older warriors onboard would still be able to track and find her using her scent. "No, this is the yautja way. Even if I do not fight, other males who want you will still fight for you."

"Then I propose a challenge." The young healer could tell that Sorus did not expect this but when he nodded she smiled and continued. "For the remaining days I will remain out of sight from all hunters. If any hunter finds me I will reject him but if you find me then I will spend the remaining time with you." At least this solution would keep Sorus focused on tracking her and prevent him from hurting anyone because of her.

Shocked by her proposal the hunter considered the pros and cons to this. He found it difficult to believe that Cora would ask him, a seasoned hunter, to track her. Moreover, there were only a limited number of places to hide on the ship so the gentle female was giving him the advantage without even realizing it. Slowly tapping his upper right mandible, Sorus couldn't help but smile inwardly. Unlike hunting on alien planets, the ship was familiar territory so he would probably be able to find her early in the challenge and spend more time with her. With her mind swimming in uncertainty, spending more time meant he had a greater chance of shining through any doubts she had.

When the warrior's deep ambers shone with a look of eagerness and excitement, the young woman chuckled. "Don't think I'm going to make this easy for you. I will need time to make some preparations so you can start your 'hunt' after the midday meal tomorrow. You can't use your mask or any other equipment, and you cannot let anyone assist you."

Sorus growled at the insult of him needing to ask others for help but his anger dissipated when Cora smiled and playfully tug at a lower mandible with her fingers. "I will find you."

When he leaned down at the gentle tugging of his mandible, Cora gave him a light peck on the side of his mandibles before releasing her hold on the tusk. "Good luck."

Purring softly at her actions, Sorus briefly held her close and pressed his forehead against hers. Then leaving her to prepare, he walked back to his room. He would also need to make his own preparations.

He needed to find her before her scent got any stronger and prevent other males from seeking her out.

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_Please don't forget to review! _

**Author's notes:_ I apologise for posting this chapter after such a long delay and hope you all enjoyed this doubly long chapter (its over 13 000 words long!). _**

**_In order to post the chapter without further delay, I had pushed to post it before allowing myself to watch Predators - so I am really looking forward to watching the movie today!_**

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A special thank you to the following people who reviewed:

**LilTinyBee:** _I'm glad you found this story amazing. :)_

**Rebal_21: **_Nope, I didn't think it was wrong at all! I thought it was great that you cheered at seeing the update!_

**Ginstar3:**_ Hahaha, I was laughing when I saw how excited you were in your review! ;)_

**leviathan02 too: **_Thank you for the review. I hope this chapter wasn't too bad._

**Zarsthor: **_I glad you took an interest in the other elder because he's coming back in the third part of the story :) Oh, and Andrey will be making a brief appearance in part 3 as well. _

**Captain Razz: **_Thank you for the review. This chapter consciously draws Cora out of her shell...but I do agree that she is rather 'dense' so this is the beginning of her opening up ;)_

**WolvesKey: **_Thank you for the review and sorry about the late update._

**Nanoe: **_Hahaha, I'm glad you like this story. :)_

**LeftUnderNightAloneRegretting:** _Thank you for your lengthy review. I can see that you have put much thought into writing it and appreciate the various issues that you brought up. In agreeance to the point you made in chapter 40, I decided to write and post part 3 as a new story that will be rated M as there will be some adult content in it. Also, I have added a small point in this chapter to indicate that the lifebond (or being a lifemate) means to share their lives together - to make it is easier for readers I simply term it as lifemate and seasonal mates. About the point on Andree and Cora's lifespan, I will only touch on it in part 3 of the story (in all the previous chapters Andree and Cora are making assumptions on their lifespan and I have not mentioned the yautja point of view in this yet). ;)_

**DamnBlackHeart:**_ I really glad you like it and hope you continue to enjoy the story._

**Teddy-wabbitz:**_ Thank you for the review, I hope you enjoyed this chapter too!_

**Possumpie:**_ Thank you for your review. This is the second last chapter to the Part 2 of the story. There is still Part 3 in The Hearts of Two. :)_

**Yautja's Blooded Pet:** _I hope this long chapter keeps you going for awhile!_

**IluthraDanar:**_ Sorry about the long wait. I read your profile page and it motivated me to write daily - even in small bits on days that I didn't feel like writing. :) _

**Pyrogrl94:**_ Thank you for your review. There is one more chapter to go for Part 2 but there will be a Part 3 for this story. _


	43. Cat and Mouse

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

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**A big thank you to all my lovely readers who reviewed the last chapter. Reading the reviews have really helped to motivate me especially during difficult times when putting flesh on the skeleton**** of the story****.  
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To all my dear readers, thank you for your support and patience.

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**Chapter 43**

Cat and Mouse

Cora woke early the next day to prepare for the challenge. It was not going to be an easy feat to hide from both Sorus and other experienced hunters for five days. However, this match was something she proposed so she could not back down now even if she wasn't confident of her victory. The young healer sighed as she stuffed some clothes into her backpack before quickly making her way down to the medical bay. It would probably be best to keep clear of her room for the next few days to minimize the risk of being caught by the courting hunters.

The ship was large and even after living in it for a half year, there were still places she and Andree had not explored. Though her expertise was in outsmarting human poachers, Cora didn't know how she would fare against a seasoned yautja hunter. The only thing that came to mind, to help her stay hidden, was the fact that none of the hunters would ever venture to the servant quarters.

Hunters viewed the eta in a negative light and would never associate themselves with the servants. From what she had learnt from their culture, Cora knew that the eta were yautja who were too fearful to join the hunts or ex-hunters who were badly crippled and no longer able to hunt. These yautja served the hunters and apparently did not have any opportunity with the breeders as they were not allowed to court them with their low status. The only way they would ever have a chance to mate was if a female chose them or if they were able to convince the elder to let them regain their place as a reputable hunter.

In choosing to stay in their quarters, she prayed that none of them would make things difficult for her. Being a healer, she was aware that some of the ex-hunters were previously crippled by humans and might hold a grudge against her kind. To tackle this, Cora hoped that her yautja brothers would allow her some medical supplies as a means of entry into the servant quarters. In her plan to treat the disabled eta, she hope they would accept her presence for a few short days.

On entering the empty medical bay, Cora placed her backpack on a side bench and looked over the storage walls. While she waited for Tofvi and Hrael, the young healer made mental notes of what she would need. She did not have long to wait as Hrael entered a short while later and nodded in her direction to acknowledge her presence.

Hrael looked over his blooded sister and eyed the strange looking ooman backpack. "Are you leaving?" Both he and Tofvi had spent enough time with Cora to know that she desired to return to her ooman world, however, he had expected the honored warrior to claim and keep her in the clan.

The young healer shook her head and sighed "Not yet." Cora nervously bit her lower lip as she silently looked at Hrael. 'How was she going to ask for medical supplies to aid the eta?' If both her seniors considered the servants as unworthy and dishonored yautja then her plan to hide in their quarters would have failed.

Hrael walked up to the female and rested his clawed hand on her shoulder to stop her hands from wringing. The first time he saw her anxious behavior was when she first approached Tofvi to seek permission to experiment development of the anti-poison solution. This time there was a bit of fear mixed in with her scent which indicated that she was probably going to ask for something he and Tofvi might disapprove. "What do you want to ask?"

"I...I need some supplies for the eta." Cora whispered her answer, not knowing how Hrael would respond.

Hrael grunted. "No need to waste time on eta." Then stepping back, he looked down at his junior. Elder K'rve had asked him to dismiss Cora from her duties for the time being as the leader could scent her heat in the early meal. He couldn't smell her heat yet, but according to Kal'fa, if it was going to be as strong as Andree's then even he would soon be able to smell it. "You are in season, stay in room for a few days."

When Cora's stance changed from nervous to defiant, Hrael sighed. His blooded sister could be as stubborn as a yautja breeder when asked to do something against her will. Aware of her fear of coupling, he decided to tease her as a means of directing her back to her quarters. "Mate or stay in room."

The ooman healer punched Hrael in the arm as he chuckled lightly. She didn't like either of these choices. "I have challenged Sorus and I need to hide." Then lowering her voice, Cora sheepishly added, "And I have chosen to stay hidden in the eta quarters for the moment."

Hrael stared at her wide eyed. Noticing a presence behind him, he turned sharply and was surprised to see Tofvi standing at the entrance. The senior healer had probably overheard what Cora said as well but did not seem surprised. Tofvi, though reserved, could sometimes gauge the actions of their unpredictable apprentice. Hrael shook his head and clicked at the older yautja, _"Our little sister has gone crazy! She challenged an elite hunter and wants to hide with the eta."_ Then moving to stand beside Cora, he playfully nudged her side, _"I bet Sorus would catch a young blood like her within the first few hours."_

"Hey!" Cora pulled on one of his dreads causing her brother to turn and grunt at her. "Who says I'll be so easy to catch?" With both her seniors speaking slowly in her presence, it enabled her to gradually learn their native tongue. And though she didn't understand all of what Hrael said, she got the gist of it.

Tofvi slowly walked into the room and considered the young healer. _"I think Sorus will catch you within the day but...I would like to see how you deal with him."_ His statement might have dampen her self-esteem but this was the harsh truth. The elite warrior had much experience in hunting her kind and it was unlikely that he would fail in finding her. It was yautja custom to deal with challenges on a daily basis and Cora had lived with them long enough to understand and accept this. Tofvi rested a clawed hand on her shoulder and gave her his support. "Take what you need."

Cora smiled widely and nodded then went through the many storage walls and shelves to put various medical items in her pack.

Tofvi clicked in amusement as he looked over the young healer and followed her every move. In the beginning, he disliked Cora for her inability to hunt but overtime she had proven herself a worthy and skilled healer. She had taken every difficult job he handed to her without complaint and overtime this had ultimately earned his respect. What started out as a mere acquaintance had gradually developed into a close friend. He could not deny that he was even protective of her now. This alien female who claimed him as a brother had changed his view of her race. The soft meat were far more intelligent than he originally thought and even a compassionate ooman like Cora could potentially be dangerous as well.

Hrael chuckled as he watched the female hastily stuff equipment used for surgery as well as different healing salves in her ooman bag. _"Are you planning to open another medical bay in the eta's quarters?"_ Except for Cora, all healers were hunters with a blooded status and no one with such standing would attend to a mere servant. Even the unblooded yautja would not pay any mind to an eta. The servants were just not worthy of the attention. But having Cora around helped him understand the sufferings of some of the servants; particularly those who fell from their hunter status and were unable to continue hunting due to severe injury.

He could empathize with some of them but it did not mean he would treat them. Cora on the other hand was different. The young ooman seem to disregard her standing as a young blood and solely focused on her duty as a healer. She was offering the eta a chance to regain their hunter status. It was risky for an ooman to treat particular eta that may have been crippled by their soft meat prey but she was still willing to do this.

When Cora was finally done, the young woman gave Tofvi a quick hug and gave Hrael a playful punch in the arm for his comment before dashing out the medical bay. It was kind of fun to have two big brothers. Being an only child was rather lonely despite the number of friends she had. Her duty in the clan enabled her to experience a relationship between siblings with Tofvi and Hrael. She still respected them as her seniors but they were more than just teachers to her. Hrael sometimes 'bullied' her in a playful manner and they were both strict with her, but they were also protective of her.

As Cora passed a few hunters on her way down the long dimly lit corridor, her thoughts moved from her brothers to Sorus. She never thought she would need to play hide and seek onboard again. There was little possibility of her victory in this challenge but this was the only solution to her problems. Being hidden would shield her from courting males and allow her freedom to explore unfamiliar areas. Besides, if she was lucky then even Sorus would not find her till the match was over. With exploration on her mind, this boosted her confidence. This could turn out to be a rather exciting adventure.

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It did not take long to get to the lower deck of the ship. The lighting in this part of the ship was much the same as above but the air was much heavier with machinery operating below. Cora cautiously made her way into the servant quarters and tried her best to keep her head high when she walked pass the much taller yautja who slowed their pace to look at her curiously. Had she not learnt from Sorus about how clan females behaved, she would have instinctively lowered her head.

Many eta had bowed out of respect but she could already tell that a few held distrust in her presence. Not knowing where to settle, she wandered aimlessly around the lower decks while carrying the heavy sack of medical supplies. Majority of the rooms were work areas for food preparation, building of weapons and huge rooms with equipment for maintenance of the ship.

The _pit_ on the upper deck was a shared sleeping area for the young bloods and the servant's resting area was a duplicate of the pit. A quick glance around showed that the only difference was that the eta used this place for dining as well. Scattered furs on the ground also indicated that there was no privacy in this shared resting area. Slowly making her way into the servant's quarters, it came as no surprise when she soon became the centre of attention. Under the cold hard stares directed toward her, the feeling of being uninvited made the half filled room seem crowded.

"_What are you doing here healer?"_

Cora looked up at the large figure who stepped into her path. The old male had spoken slow enough so she could understand and she briefly wondered if he meant her to comprehend his question as a way of warning. Not taken back by the condescending tone, she dropped her backpack and stood tall. "I am here to heal the injured." Her heart was pounding in fear but she had to hide it.

The large male roared in laughter before translating her message to the others in the room. As sneers and snickers echoed through the room, Nargi circled around Cora and clicked loud enough only for her to hear. _"It is dangerous for a small ooman to be down here..."_ stopping in front of her, he lean closer, _"unless you want to offer your services as a breeder I suggest you leave."_ She was in heat and being the most senior of the eta the smell was unbelievably strong for him.

This time the eta had spoken a little too fast for her to understand, however his message was made crystal clear when he spread his mandibles and purred deeply when he inhaled her scent. Her hair stood up from his actions but Cora was determined not to let this deter her. She lifted her backpack and brushed past the big brute to a small empty space at the side of the room then turned to the many yautja still staring at her. "I am a healer on this ship." After she carefully lowered her pack to the ground, she took out a container of healing salve and held it high. "I am here to give the injured a chance to heal and regain your honor as a hunter."

With that said, Cora ignored the clicking around her and started to unpack all the equipment. When she was done, most of the eta had gone back to their daily routine in preparing for the early meal. The few that glanced her way were eta that were limping due to severe injuries from crushed bones in their legs. She received a few skeptic looks but brushed it aside; this confirmed that she was probably the first healer that offered the eta the opportunity to recover.

The young healer sat quietly in her little corner as she watched most of the yautja leave the room. Only a few were left in the room to settle down for their rest break; they had most likely worked a night shift and catered to the needs of the hunters and breeders at night. It was not long before one of the resting eta caught her attention. With only seven yautja left in the room, the young male waited till his peers had fallen asleep before he silently made his way over to her.

Cora nodded in acknowledgement of his presence and patted the empty spot beside her. This male was about the same age as Hrael so it was unlikely that his injuries were made by humans. Though he was obviously still apprehensive of her, Cora smiled when he finally settled next to her.

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With his responsibilities as leader, Elder K'rve sighed as he walked down the long corridor to conduct a general check of each area in the ship. It was his duty to ensure each work area functioned properly, whether it was the training of hunters, maintenance of the ship, or food preparation. He did not mind overlooking each work area but, if possible, he preferred not to do it in their season of breeding.

Still, it was always good to know everything that went on in the clan ship.

The air in the eta section was usually heavy with an oily musk that reflected their underlying anger and frustration especially during this time of the year. From the lack of females, the servant's area always held a stench of discontentment. However, for the first time, K'rve felt a change in the atmosphere while conducting a general inspection of the lower decks.

The unexpected sound of excited clicking nearby roused his attention. When K'rve silently passed the food cleansing area and made his way deeper into their living area he could see the reason behind the excitement.

The presence of any female was always welcomed in their quarters but he never thought the etas would be so tolerant of Cora, especially the few who had been disabled by their soft meat prey. He was also surprised to find the quiet and usually shy ooman healer openly tending to the servants' old wounds.

K'rve soundlessly walked to one side of the entrance to observe the scene. When a few males saw him, he signalled the surprised yautja to remain silent as they bowed to acknowledge his presence.

With her back facing the exit, Cora remained oblivious to the small crowd around her as she knelt beside her patient and treated an old shoulder wound. The number of her patients steadily increased after the first young blood was treated. With number of severe injuries she had to deal with, the healer doubt she would be able to get through all her patients over the next five days. Some needed major operations that took a considerable duration to manage without the help of her seniors.

While tending her yautja patients, she also found it distracting when some of the males behind her purr softly to get her attention. To help herself focus on her task, Cora talked to each of her patients as she worked on them. The young woman looked down at the male before her and could tell that the older male was able to understand some of her language as he would occasionally chuckle or nod in response.

"I really wish I had a medical table here so you wouldn't have to lie on the ground and I would not have to treat you in such an awkward position." Kneeling beside her patient, Cora wiped the sweat from her brow. Secretly, she wondered how Sorus was faring as she worked on the eta in the warm room. Though her initial nerves of their challenge had settled, everytime she thought of him her heart would pound.

In proposing this 'hunt', Cora had openly allowed Sorus to pursue her. It was rather exciting to know that the male courting her had to literally chase her and now she wished that he would not be caught up with other females.

A hiss of pain from her patient brought her attention back to the task and the young woman inwardly growled at herself to concentrate. In allowing her mind to wander, she had accidentally cut him with the scapula. The healer bit her lower lip and murmured an apology as she focus on her job again.

Arki closed his eyes and listen to Cora ramble on while she patched him up. This female healer probably did not know how appreciative they were of her willingness to assist them. Unlike some cowardly eta who did not have the courage to hunt and only wanted Cora's healing hands on them to get some female attention, he wished only to be healed so he could hunt again. That was all that mattered.

Being an experienced hunter long ago, Arki would have preferred it if his clan did not allow oomans to be blooded but Cora changed his opinion. He hunted soft meats before and they were a race filled with fear of the unknown. However, this soft meat before him defied everything he learnt about them. He could feel her fear from being in the crowded room but she still had the courage to remain and treat them.

"We're almost done." Cora wiped the salty liquid off her brow again as she prepared the burning salve to seal the long incision in Arki's upper arm. This was her first unsupervised major operation. She had to give him a quarter of the pain killers she brought as she had to slice open his arm to attach a long steel rod to his humerus. The bone in his entire upper arm had been completely shattered in three areas and it took several hours to fix up but he did not once complain.

Arki winced as the salve cauterised the wound close. The young female had earn his friendship and he owed her for treating him. When the healer finally sat down to rest and mumbled about how her blooded brothers were supportive of her and would do a much better job, he shook his head. No healer had ever bothered to help the servants and he doubt any yautja healer would ever do what she did. When Arki slowly sat up and saw the elder several feet behind Cora, he clicked in surprise. _"Elder K'rve is behind you." _He was about to stand when K'rve gestured for him to remain where he was.

Only half listening, Cora mistook his meaning. "Yes, Elder K'rve is supportive too." Hrael had mention that the leader watched over her after the incident with Yedin and that set a deep impression of the elder in her mind. As she packed some of the equipment to the side, the young woman casually continued. "I initially saw him as a brotherly figure but as a leader I think he is more of a father figure to me."

Arki as well as the older eta went silent and looked at the elder to gauge his reaction while Cora continue to ramble on as she packed.

Unlike the shocked eta around him, the leader was simply amused by her declaration. He heard from Sorus of the healer being a sole child and that she lost both parents a few years ago. It was surprising that this gentle natured ooman was adopting family bonds with yautja, a predator species that her race often viewed as violent.

Not wanting to alert Cora to his presence, K'rve quietly backed out the room. He stood at the entrance briefly and allowed his gaze to sweep over all the yautja who were present before finally resting it on the preoccupied female. His silent message was clear. This young ooman had formed a personal bond with him and, in doing so, anyone who caused her trouble would be severely dealt with. Her child-like trust and loyalty were virtues that was rarely found in blooded oomans. He had once even considered her to be a seasonal mate but now he was contented to form a different bond with her. It was a special bond unlike any other.

It was not difficult to adapt and view her as an adopted offspring, he was many centuries her senior after all. K'rve chuckled inwardly as he slowly made his way to the upper levels. The ooman healer was truly a puzzle. Observations of Cora in the previous weeks indicated that she was avoiding Sorus, a clear sign that she was trying to reject him using her gentle ooman ways. On the other hand, she seem to be adopting yautja as family.

The leader was certain that it was only a matter of time before she discovered her feelings and gave in to the seasoned warrior.

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The long awaited search had begun with much frustration. Sorus knew he was tense but the situation was dire. Her pheromones would be much stronger than yesterday and he still caught no trace of it after the first hours of his search. Moreover, to mindlessly wander in random areas was certainly not helping. The warrior growled at his impatience and stopped in the middle of the corridor to reassess the situation. The mental list of places he made through the night had given him no clue to finding the young female, and his restlessness as well as the lack of sleep probably affected his ability to think straight.

Sorus tapped his upper right mandible lightly and shook his head inwardly. The list of places he had searched so far were areas that Cora was familiar with. Aware of her curious nature, she probably hid in a place that was unfamiliar to her. Thoughts of the healer hiding in a another hunter's room flashed in his mind's eye and increased his heart rate but he quickly pushed this idea aside. No matter how desperate she was, Cora was intelligent enough to not endanger herself like that.

It was coming to the end of the first day and there were still a number of places he could search before the late meal. Sorus restarted his search from the control room on the highest deck and gradually made his way down to the lower sections of the ship. In a normal situation he would never come down to this part of the vessal but his current situation was anything but normal. As the warrior walked through the servant quarters, he clicked lightly as he breathe in a familiar scent. Briefly glancing at the few eta who passed him and bowed in respect before hurrying off, Sorus promptly ignored them.

The entire section was lightly perfumed in the young ooman's scent. This clearly indicated that she hid in this area. The elite hunter briskly searched each area and followed the trail as the markings gradually became stronger. On reaching the resting quarters, he was surprised to find a stack of medical supplies in one corner but saw no sign of the healer.

Slowly walking in, Sorus scanned the huge area then moved to where the female's scent was strongest. The older etas sitting around appeared unconcerned with his presence but a few younger males seemed a little unnerved. The warrior moved to an eta who smelt strongly of the healer and growled as the young male hesitantly stood up to greet him. _"You touched the ooman healer."_

The eta could smell the heavy musk of anger radiating from Sorus. He tilted his head down and clicked a negative response, the healer treated him but he had not made any advances toward her. He was surprised when the warrior suddenly grabbed him by the throat and slammed him against the wall. _"Her scent is on you. Where is she?"_ His snarling brought complete silence to the room.

"_The healer was here."_ When Nargi approached, Sorus dropped the young male and turned to face him.

The senior eta bowed his head in respect to the warrior. _"Sorus, you can smell the healer's scent because of the medical equipment she left here,"_ then glancing around the room as if to state the obvious, he look at the seasoned hunter,_ "but she is not here now."_ Though older than Sorus, Nargi knew his place in the clan. He was an eta and could easily forfeit his life if challenged by a hunter. The older male limped back slowly when the warrior moved forward aggressively. _"We heard from Cora about your hunt and she has asked that we do not assist you with it."_

Sorus growled aloud but ceased his approach. Cora had told him that he could not seek help from others and, in his frustration, he almost forgotten it. He stared coldly at the older male and grunted before he left the room. If she left then he would try his luck in the upper decks again. Besides, if he still could not find her then he would return here. She had left the medical supplies here and would surely return for them.

Long moments after the warrior left the eta quarters, Cora kicked the cover off the ventilation opening. Nargi, being the closest to her, reached up to help her down. "Thank you for helping to hide me."

The old eta gave her an incredulous look and grunted. _"The warrior would have been in his right to kill me if he found you still here."_

The young woman shook her head. "I would have stopped him if he tried." When Nargi grunted and limped away, Cora smiled softly. Though the old eta still acted nasty toward her, she knew he was protective in his own way.

Before the old male moved beyond her reach, Cora reached out and gently grasped his wrist. "Will you let me treat you later?"

Nargi stopped in his tracks. So far, all the eta who were treated had willingly approached her but he was the only one she approached. _"My old wound is beyond the skill of any healer."_ He hated to be pitied but the tone in her soft voice had a catch to it and it touched something inside him. She was the first being that acknowledged his previous status as a skilled hunter and when he glanced back at the small ooman, Nargi could see her sincerity in wanting to restore his honor.

"Wound no heal." The old eta bowed his head and lightly tugged his wrist away. He saw the slow acceptance of his words sink in as she nodded back. Nargi held her gaze for a moment and softly thrilled to her as he would a friend before he turned and walked away.

The healer watched the old male walk to his resting spot then moved back to her little corner and waved at the young male she was tending to half way to continue her treatment. Cora was thrilled that Sorus had found her hiding spot. When the younger eta had run in to inform her of his arrival, she had made the split second decision to hide; part of her wanted to be with her close friend but she knew how desperate the eta were for her assistance. The young woman sighed deeply. Perhaps she would let Sorus find her after a couple of days and spend the next two days treating the etas. She stretched and yawned as the yautja settled down, the long day of work had worn her out but she still had a few more patients to see before she could rest.

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It was now late into the night and there was still no trace of the ooman female anywhere. Sorus growled inwardly as he decided to return to the lower decks of the ship after an unsuccessful search in other areas of the vessel. His frustration had gradually increased through the night due to the constant harassment from breeders that hindered his progress.

As he silently entered the servant's resting area, Sorus spotted Cora lying sound asleep beside the equipment on the hard ground. The few eta around her were awake and appeared to be guarding her so no one would disturb her sleep. When he moved into the room, Arki quickly approached him.

Arki could smell the the hunter's agitated musk and the unrestrained annoyance at his interference. The eta blocked the warrior's path and bowed low in respect. _"The healer has been working through the day and night. She has only just laid down to rest."_ Sensing that Sorus calmed a little, he continued, _"It will not be long before the new day starts. Perhaps she could rest awhile before being caught."_ Arki knew he was not suppose to meddle with the hunt but he owed the healer and this was the least he could do to return the favor. The young female was dead tired and desperately needed her rest.

The warrior considered the eta's words as the younger male slowly backed away. It was obvious that Cora, with her gentle nature, had made new friends with the servants. Sorus stood in the room and looked at the young ooman's curled up form. She was sleeping on the cool hard ground and covered only in a thin fur blanket. For a moment he contemplated carrying her to the upper decks but later pushed that idea away. That was not the best way to end the hunt; no hunt ended with the capture of resting prey.

Sorus soundlessly moved to sit beside Cora and closed his eyes. Though not exhausted physically, he was mentally drained from turning breeders away while frantically searching for her. And now that he had found her, it was ironic that his only option was to leave her here while he returned to the upper level. He knew the eta were not allowed to make advances without a female's consent but he was still uneasy to leave her amongst so many males.

Briefly glancing around the room at the eta sleeping, his gaze fell on a few who looked at him and the sole female in the room. There was no animosity when their eyes met which made it slightly easier for him to accept the decision to leave Cora for the next few hours. Silently getting up, the warrior slowly made his way to the entrance and turned to look at the healer one last time before he forced himself to turn and walk away. He would catch her in the servant quarters while she ate tomorrow.

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_Don't forget to read and review! :)_

**Author's note: I know this chapter is a little shorter compared to the last few - it was originally quite long but I had to break it down to two chapters. I will post the next chapter in a fortnight...but may post it much sooner if reviews hit 200! :)**

**_~Next chapter_: Captured!**


	44. Captured

**Disclaimer: I do not own aliens or predator**

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**Chapter 44**

Captured

Early the next day, Cora woke and quickly made her to the eating area on the upper decks. The little food she had in the eta quarters was absolutely terrible. The meat was either undercooked or too dry so she decided to risk going above for a quick bite. Thoughts of the rowdy morning rush hour crowd made the young woman hurry down the long winding corridors.

The eta would have been happy to prepare her a separate meal below but most of them were busy with preparations for the new day and she did not have the heart to bother them. Besides, being this early, she would probably be the first in the dining area and could be on her way back down before any of the hunters got in.

When Cora got to the eating area, she did not expect anyone to be present but she was wrong. Five older hunters who boarded a week ago were already up and another three entered not far behind her. Not keen to draw any attention to herself, the healer hurriedly picked a few items before she sat on a lone table on the far end on one side of the massive room. Unfortunately, her scent had grown much stronger over the last two days and was picked up by an old hunter closest to her table. She cringed when the warrior looked her up and down to study her then spread his mandibles to take in more of her scent. This was not a good sign. Cora inwardly sighed when the male stood from his table and moved toward hers, purring.

Sorus finally made his way down to the eta quarters again only to be disappointed with his female once again missing. With her tiredness, he thought she would sleep a little longer and had hoped to catch her the moment she woke. He growled in frustration as he made his way to the spot Cora slept in. Her scent was no longer fresh. The warrior traced her scent down a side passage to the upper decks and quicken his pace as her unique scent became stronger. When he got to his destination, Sorus clicked in annoyance at his finding.

An unfamiliar hunter was seated closely beside the young female, chuckling and enjoying her company. This warrior had only arrived a few days ago and had learnt much about both oomans from the stories the others told. Since Andree was now mated as a lifemate to Kal'fa, a few of the new hunters onboard had taken a keen interest in the female healer. It was obvious that this warrior was one of them. Sorus stood back and watched from his end of the room. Cora had promised that she would not mate with any other so he would not interfere unless the male became too rough with her.

When the warrior top up her cup with the familiar purplish red liquid, Sorus frowned. He watch Cora down the drink and reject the hunter before she stood to leave the dining area. He immediately started after her and noticed that her movements were rather sluggish as she stumbled out the exit on the other end of the huge room.

When the corridor forked into two paths, Sorus lost sight of her when he rounded a bend. It seem that the young female had taken a wrong turn. With her pheromones heavy in the air, he moved effortlessly into a run and followed it to the entrance of the _pit_. Even from a distance he could smell that she was intoxicated and her drunken actions was drawing increasing attention from those around her.

The _pit_, a massive room that housed all the young bloods, was soon filled with soft growls and purrs when Cora entered. Sorus was close behind when he saw the youths surround and guide the seemingly 'willing' female deeper into their shared sleeping area. The sight of their actions made his blood boil as he felt the sudden urge to kill the males before him. With a blood cuddling roar, the elite warrior lunged forward at the crowd gathered around the ooman female.

Some of the hunters respectfully withdrew from his challenge but five over confident young bloods remained. It was obvious that they could not win in a one on one match against him. When they slowly move around the honored warrior, an unspoken agreement to team up against him was made.

Not surprise by this, Sorus made the first move. He swiftly danced to one side and knocked the closest youth down. Group fights against the weak were common in the pit. However, these young hunters were so blinded by their lust that they seem to have forgotten that he was not a weak young blood they could push around. When two of the youths charged in, he smoothly lifted the first disorientated male up and forcefully tossed him into the two who rushed at him.

His swift actions stunned the remaining two young bloods and Sorus took this opportunity to move in. He closed the distance between him and his opponents in a fraction of a second. Easily blocking a poorly placed punch from one youth, he slammed his fist into the chest of his opponent and broke a few ribs in the process.

Sorus pushed the howling injured male aside to face the last challenger. When the last one standing madly rushed in, in an attempt to tackle him to the ground, the seasoned hunter danced aside at the last minute to throw his opponent's balance off. When the young blood turned to grab him, Sorus moved first and gripped his opponent's wrist in an iron hold. He twisted it hard and landed a fierce blow to the young male's shoulder. With a dislocated shoulder and fractured wrist, the young pup's agonizing roar of pain bounced off the walls of the huge room.

The sound of pain from the young ones seem to affect their peers as the crowd stood a respectful distance from the fight. The air was heavy and filled with a musky aggression. Tension was still high but no one could deny the _nain-desintje-de_; the pure win. The young males in the room chanted and howled at the honored warrior's victory but kept their distance as Sorus made his way to his prize.

The warrior kept a wary eye on the spectators but his heart felt lighter when no others came to compete with him for the ooman female. Sorus clicked lightly when he moved closer and saw Cora make eye contact with him. He could not help but smile at her clumsy reaction as she frantically attempt to scale the side wall to get into a vent above. His goal was finally within his grasp.

Just as Cora lost her balance and collapsed to the ground, Sorus dashed forward and caught her. The warrior in the dining area had given her strong _c'ntlip_, and the small amount of alcohol she had taken seem to be too much for her.

Sorus purred deeply as he lifted the delicious smelling female in his arms and walked out. Along the way, several yautja chirped an enquiry to his actions but he ignored the curious look from the passing males. With most of the hunters onboard holding a lower rank, they would probably leave him unmolested for carrying a blooded female in such a manner. The only ones who would consider questioning his actions were probably those who wanted to mate Cora, and they would have to challenge him for her. And if he fought, he would ensure to make an example out of the challenger so no other would even consider mating the young healer with him there.

The seasoned hunter cast his deep ambers on Cora. From the way she moved he could tell she was extremely giddy from the drink. Sorus thrilled at the small form in his arms as she continued her sluggish struggle to get to her feet. Her twists and kicks almost hit those passing by. The female stilled her movements for a moment then reached up and roughly tugged at his hanging dreadlocks making him grunt at her.

With her persistent wriggling, Sorus finally chastised her for it. "Be still healer." There was a moment of silence as his words seem to have gotten through to her. He thought she settled but a few seconds later Cora's soft drunken giggle drew his attention as she mumbled wild accusations about him using her as his personal warmer. When she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck in an affectionate move, Sorus chuckled and lightly pressed her to him.

Ge'tur, one of the blooded onboard, nodded in respect when he saw Sorus approach and clicked at the drunken female his senior carried as he passed them. He had not forgotten about how this ooman saved his life when they met on the ooman planet Bolva. Their first encounter had set a deep impression and he was glad for Cora to stay in the clan if Sorus mated her. _"The healer will be a good mother for her pups."_

Sorus smiled inwardly at the comment as he thought about Cora carrying his suckling. However, his thoughts were disrupted when he heard her distressed tone about not wanting puppies.

'Puppies? Was that another term for pups?' He thought that she wanted offspring and it was disturbing to hear her reject the idea of having young. Sorus stopped in the walkway and tilted his face toward her when she hugged his neck tightly. "What do you want?" His question was spoken softly but loud enough just for her to hear.

The confusion seem to have faded for one precious moment when Cora slowly raised her heavy head up to look at Sorus. She felt drawn in to his deep ambers. In her dizziness, it gave her a drowning sensation. His gaze radiated a warmth that made her heart beat frantically. The young woman blinked dreamily as she divulged her heart's longing. "My own family." Then closing her eyes, her head dropped back down to rest against him.

His mandibles spread slightly in a smile at her answer. When she restlessly shifted in his arms, Sorus purred soothingly to calm her. "You will have one soon." The warrior promised as he continued on.

With her delicate fingers tracing little heated patterns from his shoulder down to his chest, Sorus glanced down at Cora as she softly murmur nonsensically. Thanks to the alcohol her body seemed warmer than usual and it radiated the honey sweet scent of her innocence, creating an intoxicating aroma. He deeply inhaled the thick fragrance and felt his body shiver. He was thankful that they had finally reached her room as he found it increasingly difficult to concentrate on walking straight with his senses overwhelmed by her strong scent and gentle touch.

Carefully shifting the incoherent healer in his arms, the warrior typed in the code to her room and entered. After he placed her down on the bed, Sorus turned back to close the door to shut out the heavy mating musk. When he returned to the sleeping platform Cora was already out cold. He pulled the furs up to cover the young woman from the cool setting in her room before sitting on the edge of the bed to watch over her as she slept.

To this gentle natured female his courtship might seem like it started only a few short weeks ago, after he proposed to her, while in actual fact he initiated it almost immediately after they met. Since the breeding season lasted a little over two months, this was the longest time he spent pursing a female. Sorus gently ran a clawed hand through her fine hair and sighed. He had won the challenge but he could not stay in a female's quarters unless she allowed him.

Silently, the hunter leaned down and lightly pressed his forehead against hers before he slowly stood up. For now he would return to his room for much needed rest. Sorus headed to the door and turned to look at her again before leaving. He had caught her early on the second day and had hope to spend some quality time with Cora for the remaining four days but with the female resting off the alcohol, he needed to wait till she recovered.

On entering his room the seasoned warrior move to lie on his bed, hoping to get some sleep. In the past weeks, he had been on constant watch for hunters who eyed the ooman healer and had not had much rest. His lower mandibles tapped in agitation as he closed his eyes and force his mind to calm.

This was the first time in many years that he had not mated a female during their season of breeding and it was already the third week. The warrior struggled to control his instincts as he felt a familiar stirring in his loins. For a moment, he could understand the frustration and discontentment of the eta. The strong pheromones in the ship made it almost unbearable.

The elite warrior found himself fighting a loosing battle as his instincts won over and his blood rapidly heated. Annoyed with his body's demands, he made his way to the bathroom to relieve himself. When his body refused to respond to his ministrations, the hunter flared his mandibles and growled out in utter frustration. It was only when he envisioned being with the ooman healer that allowed him sweet release.

Breathing heavily, Sorus cleared the mess after his body had come down from the high then returned to bed. For the next hour he grunted as he tossed and turned, unable to get any rest. It seemed that the urge to simply remain close to Cora finally won out. The warrior left his room in irritation. Along the way, his cold hard glare made the younger hunters slink away from his path.

Stepping into the young female's room once again, he shut the door and locked it. Being in her presence, he could feel his body and mind calm almost immediately. Sorus shook his head inwardly. He could not believe he had given in. His coming to her room this time had nothing to do with her duties as a healer or caring for her health. It was purely due to the matter of claiming a mate. This was something highly punishable if the female had not agreed to his proposal.

Sorus stood at the edge of her bed and watched her intently. He felt absolutely drained. For now he was thankful that he no longer had to keep watch at a distance while other hunters approached and tried to woo her away. As he studied the innocent and peaceful face through heated amber eyes, his mandibles hung open as he took in the sweet pleasant scent that flowed from the sleeping figure.

After a moment, the warrior decided. Despite the clan rules, he did not want to be parted from her any longer. K'rve already knew that he would stay by Cora even if she were to reject him so there was no real reason to be apart from her now. With his gaze fixed on her, Sorus moved to the side of the bed. Despite her lying there in a disheveled state, he still found the gentle ooman female attractive.

At the sound of a soft moan escaping her, Sorus blinked slowly as Cora repositioned to rest on her side. Silently moving to sit on the floor with his back against the bed, he closed his tired eyes and gave in to sleep.

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A few hours later Cora groaned and struggled to get up. With the sudden urge to throw up, she quickly threw the thick blanket off and ran on wobbly feet to the bathroom. The horrible moment seem to last forever and she made a mental note to avoid drinking yautja _c'ntlip_in the future. When she was finally done, Cora leaned heavily against the massive wash basin. The after effects of vomitting left her weak as she took longer than usual to clean up and brush her teeth to get rid of the smell. Still feeling tired, the young woman closed her eyes and lean down to rest against the side of the soothing coolness of the basin.

She stood in the bathroom for what seem to be a few hours, but was in fact mere minutes, when she heard a soft clicking sound. The pounding in her head was temporarily forgotten as Cora jumped up in surprise. She turned and stumbled back slightly on seeing her friend outside her bathroom. "Sorus! What are you doing here?"

Not answering her question, the hunter moved into the bathroom and rested a clawed hand on her shoulder to guide her out. He had been roused from sleep when Cora stumbled into the bathroom but he was glad to have the few hours of rest. It seemed that being near the healer had indeed given him much needed rest. Sorus tapped his mandibles lightly as he helped the young female back to the sleeping platform. He took in her slow movements as the she sat on the side of the bed and rubbed her temple to ease the headache away.

Cora glanced up at Sorus after her head cleared a little. "Thank you for bringing me back to the room." The little she could remember was a little hazy. She recalled dragging her heavy feet out the dining area and being surrounded by giants then being lifted into strong arms.

The young woman cast her eyes to the ground as her head grew heavy again. With her gaze still fixed on the ground, Cora notice Sorus move to one knee before her. When her friend ease a clawed hand behind her neck to massage the area, she crossed her legs on the bed and lean forward to rest her head against his shoulder. She could tell he was careful with his claws and smiled inwardly as his firm yet gentle fingers worked the area, slowly soothing the tensed muscles. It felt comfortable to be in her room again. Cora closed her eyes and relaxed against him, sighing softly.

"Tofvi was right, you found me in just one day."

She smiled when her friend made no comment of his victory but instead purr deeply in response. It was a little surprising but Cora felt somewhat relieved to have Sorus succeed so early in the match. When he first proposed, she truly wanted a yautja breeder to catch his eye. Yet now it felt rather comforting to have him alone in her room.

The young woman breathe in deeply as she silently mused his actions. He had won the challenge yet he brought her back to her room instead of his. This clearly showed that her yautja friend had respected and considered her feelings. Sorus obviously knew she would be more relaxed in her quarters than his when they spent the next few days together. Moreover, unlike most human males, even though he stayed in her room while she slept off the alcohol he did not take advantage of her.

After awhile, Cora raised her hand to his forearm and grasped it gently to ease the massage. "I don't remember giving you permission to come to my room." With her forehead resting on his shoulder, she smiled and lightly teased him. "So are you here as my friend or elder?"

Sorus was taken aback when he heard her question and remained silent. He wanted to be here as neither her friend nor elder but as her mate, or at least a male that she would consider mating. When Cora broke the silence with a soft giggle, he became aware of her teasing and countered with a soft growl, lightly reprimanding her for it.

Still nauseous from the hangover, the healer slowly sat back and looked up to meet his amber gaze through half open eyes. The familiar look that she now recognize as longing, shone in his eyes. It was obvious that her teasing was taken rather seriously. In the past he had come to her assistance many times and she had not questioned why, but when he brought her back to her room this time instead of leaving her in the pit, she knew the reason. With his stubborn yautja nature, she knew her friend wanted her as nothing less than a mate.

Sorus held her gaze for a moment before he gently made her lie back. The look in her eyes indicated that Cora was pondering something but her scent told of her suffering from the aftereffects of taking a strong dose of _c'ntlip_. Though the young healer had slept most of the day away, she would need more rest to recover fully. "I will ask the eta to bring something to help you feel better."

Made to rest in bed, the young woman silently smiled as she looked over to follow the warrior's movements in the dim light. When Sorus walked over to the door and activated the com link and barked orders to the eta on the receiving end, she sighed. "You could be a little nicer to them."

After Sorus closed the link, he looked back at Cora and grunted. "In yautja culture, besides bad blooded yautja, the eta are the lowest in our hierarchy and should be treated according to their position." The disapproval in her eyes made him consider an alternate approach as he lightly tapped his upper mandibles, "Discipline and order are needed in a clan. If elders treat yautja in different ranks as equals then the clan would fall apart." When Cora gave a conceded sigh and closed her eyes, he headed to the bathroom.

Shortly after Sorus left, a loud knock on the door brought the young healer to her feet. When Cora opened the door, she was surprised to see Arki holding a tray of food and drink. Eager to talk to him, the healer quickly directed him in to put the load on the table. "Have you spoken to Elder K'vre yet? Will he allow you to hunt again?"

Arki spread his mandibles in a slight smile and clicked in affirmation. The next moment caught him by surprise when the joyously laughing ooman suddenly jumped up to hug him. Arki chuckled and spoke slowly so she could understand. _"The elder has agreed to let me be a hunter again but only after mating season is over."_

Sorus silently returned to the room and stood behind the pair. His temper flared to life the moment he caught his female in the eta's arms. This ooman gesture of expressing happiness was obviously instigated by Cora, and though her innocent actions to the news was rather predictable, he did not like other males rubbing their scent on her especially in the middle of mating season.

"_If you are not allowed to court any females yet then you should leave."_The honored warrior viciously snarled at the younger male as the young woman detached herself from the eta. When she stumbled backward on wobbly feet, Sorus wrapped an arm around her waist and gently tugged her over. His possessive hold on her sent a clear message to the eta. Cora was _his _female.

The young healer leaned heavily on her friend for support. The dizziness and fatigue from the hangover would probably settle after a long rest. With her head against his chest, she could hear the remnants of his rumbling growl. Cora slowly eased one hand up to rest on his chest to calm him. The way Sorus held her made her chuckle softly. It was obvious that her friend was jealous. Just before Arki left, she managed to turn her head and smile at him when he bowed respectfully and closed the door.

The young woman closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around Sorus. "Arki is just a friend."

The hunter purred softly when Cora hung onto him. "I know. That is why I did not fight him." She spoke the truth but seeing their closeness did not help to settle the unease in his heart.

Slowly releasing her, Sorus brought the young female back to the bed and gave her the small cup from the tray. It was filled with an odd bittersweet smelling liquid. "This will help you feel better."

The healer swallowed the drink in one shot and made a face at him. "That was awful."

"It is made from crushed naxa seeds." Sorus offered her food from the tray but placed it aside when she refused. As she settle to sleep again, he move to sit on the floor beside the bed.

When her friend made no move to rest on the sleeping platform, Cora leaned over the side of the bed and looked at him as he rested. For a moment, she considered asking him to share the bed. They were not mates yet and an open invitation might send the wrong message...but it did not seem right to leave him on the cold hard ground. "It is cold on the floor." Stomping her fears out, Cora reached out and slowly ran her fingers through his dreadlocks. "This bed is much smaller than yours but I'm sure we can squeeze in together."

Sorus studied her for a moment then shook his head.

Surprised at his refusal, Cora tugged at his long locks. "You aren't still mad about Arki, are you?"

The warrior sighed and looked at her. "I will not share your bed." When Cora playfully tugged at his dreadlocks again, he brought his clawed hand up and closed it around hers. "I do not want you as a seasonal mate."

"What!" Stunned, the young woman tried to draw back but was held in place with her hand wrapped in his.

When she stilled, Sorus raised his deep ambers to meet her hazel gaze and slowly explained, "Any hunter who shares a female's bed is her seasonal mate." Then with his head bowed down, he looked at where their hands were joined and clicked softly. "I will not be your mate for only one season." He gently squeezed her hand, willing for her to understand his intention. Not sharing her bed to avoid being a seasonal mate was not the only point he wanted to make.

Her scent was strong and it was bringing his body to life once again, and she had no idea of what her alluring aroma was doing to him. To sleep with her now would increase the temptation to take her. He would be able to maintain better self control if he stayed away from her especially in their current location.

With a slight smile on her face, the healer moved to grab two large fur pelts on the bed and dropped it in his lap. When Sorus clicked in appreciation and arranged it around himself, Cora lay prone and rested her head on crossed arms to watch him. "I'm not looking for a seasonal mate either." When his amber eyes snapped up to study her, as if unbelieving of her response to finally accept his courting, she gave him a look of sincerity.

To reaffirm her response, Cora moved to the edge of the bed. With Sorus sitting beside the bed, the height of the sleeping platform reached his chest, making it easier to reach her goal. Her heart pounded as she slowly leaned over the edge of the bed and eased a hand out to rest on the side of his strong jaw. Cora moved to lightly pressing her forehead against his and smiled when she felt the vibrations of his deep rumbling purr.

The moment felt surreal. She was officially accepting Sorus as more than her close friend. With the way things were working out, Cora felt she had just entered the stage of engagement. Though she never really had a boyfriend before, she did not feel the need to go through that stage. There were still a couple of issues to sort out before they got to the homerun to being mates but at the moment, the young healer had to admit that she and Sorus had gone through enough to be more than just mere friends.

In the days that followed they had much to discuss to ensure the smooth flowing of this relationship. At the same time, she would also need to learn to overcome her fear of intimacy. As she had never been with a human male before, the thought of being physically close to Sorus was more than a little scary. A young blood was already bigger than an average human and her hunter friend was huge compared to the young hunters.

Just as her thoughts drifted into negativity, Cora felt his arm snake up and wrap snugly around her waist. She shuddered at the sensation of being held to him and smiled softly as she closed her eyes to enjoy the moment. The simple act showed an unusual tenderness that was uncommon during the roughness in mating season. With the weight of his arm lightly resting on her, it gave her a sense of security and seem to lift the weight of her fears off her shoulders. For once, she truly believe that a life with Sorus was not impossible. Though in an awkward position, she maintained the affectionate contact as she leaned against him.

His spirit soared when Cora initiated the tender move. With his arm wrapped around her waist, Sorus was tempted to pull her down but logic stayed his hand. This was her first real step into this courtship. It would not be wise to scare her away with any bold moves when she was finally considering him as her mate.

Before the young woman sleepily pulled back, she gave his upper mandible a light peck and was a little surprised to hear the mixture of a soft growling purr. His mandibles were spread open slightly and Cora could not help but chuckle softly when he took in her scent. "I know I smell like vomit. You don't have to rub it in." She gave him a gentle smile and tried to wriggle back.

Sorus grunted at her response. On the contrary, she smelt heavenly. The residue smell from her digestive system was mild compared to her nature sweetness. His arm tightened a fraction when he felt her slowly pull away but sensing her tiredness, he gradually let her slide away to rest in bed.

After Sorus settled back down, he silently regarded Cora as she slept curled up on her side. The challenge was meant to last for five days. With the first day spent on 'hunting' her and the next on her resting, he only had three more days before she gave her answer. Everything seemed to be flowing smoothly now and he hoped the remaining time would be enough to convince her to mate him.

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**Author's note: Thank you all for the great reviews :)**

**This is the last chapter for Part 2: Bonds. The next chapter will mark the beginning of the third part of The Hearts of Two.**

**Part 3 : Bonds that are tested in fire**


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